GIFT  OF 

SEELEY  W.  MUDD 

and 

GEORGE  I.  COCHRAN     MEYER  ELSASSER 

DR.JOHN  R.  HAYNES    WILLIAM  L.  HONNOLD 

JAMES  R.  MARTIN         MRS.  JOSEPH  F.  SARTOR! 

to  the 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 

SOUTHERN  BRANCH 


.I50WWI 


AT 

LOS  ANGELES 

UBRARY 


TWELFTH-NIGHT 


at   tl 


ic 


entmia 


Wi> 


January   6    1858 


,0^     »*•         c 


«  •    I     ''  « 


NEW    YORK 
D.    APPLET  ON    &  COMPANY 

1858. 

844r,3 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congrefs  in  the  year  1858, 

BY   D.    APPLETON   &   CO., 
In  the  Clerks'  Office  of  the  Diftrift  Court  for  the  Southern  Diftrift  of 

New  York. 


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CCCCtC  •■*€• 


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The  Twelfth-Night  feftival  of  merry  Old 
England  correfponds  with,  and  is  founded 
upon,  the  Epiphany  of  the  ecclefiaftical 
year,  as  obferved  by  the  Roman  Catholic 
Church,  the  Greek  Church  in  the  Eaft  and 
in  Ruflia,  and  by  several  Proteftant  Churches 
in  Europe  and  America.  It  is  the  anniver- 
fary  celebration  of  the  firfl:  manifeftation  of 
the  promifed  Mefliah  to  the  Gentiles,  as  rep- 
refented  by  the  adoration  of  the  Magi  or 
wife  men  who  came  from  the  Eaft  to  wor- 


fliip  the  new-born  King.      As  a  commemo- 
rative  religious   feftival,  it    dates    from    the 
earUeft  ages  of  the  Chriftian   Church,  being 
mentioned  by  writers  of  the   third   century 
as  then   a  common  obfervance.      A  widely 
spread    popular    tradition,    which    may    be 
traced  back  above  a  thoufand  years,  though 
it  has  no  sanction  either  from  written  hiftory, 
sacred    or     profane,    or    from     any    exprefs 
Church  authority,  has  elevated  thefe   Magi, 
the  learned  men,  the  sages,  and  aftronomers 
of  the   Eaft,    into    Kings.       Some    of    the 
theologians  of  the  middle  ages  adopted  the 
same  opinion,  on  the  suppoHtion  that  thefe 
were   the   perfonages    foretold   in  prophetic 
poetry.      "  The  kings  of  Tarfhifh  and  the 
ifles    fhall     bring    prefents ;     the    kings   of 
Sheba    and    Seba  fhall   brino;  gifts."     This 
traditional  or  fanciful  verfion  of  the  Gofpel 
narrative  not  only  conferred  the  regal  dignity 


5 

on  thefe  Eaftern  sages,  but  alfo  defignated 
their  number,  their  names,  the  nature  of 
their  several  gifts,  and  even  their  personal 
appearance.  They  were  but  three  in  num- 
ber :  One  was  an  aged  venerable  long-bearded 
man,  who  was  named  Melchior,  and  who  of- 
fered a  gift  of  gold.  The  second  crowned 
head  was  that  of  a  beardlefs  very  young  man, 
to  whom  tradition  affigned  the  name  of  Jaf- 
per,  and  who  made  an  offering  of  frankin- 
cenfe.  The  third  was  a  ftately  swarthy 
Moor,  named  Balthazar,  whofe  offering  was 
of  myrrh.  The  Church  feftival,  in  addition 
to  its  more  solemn  religious  obfervances,  soon 
paffed  into  a  popular  and  domeftic  holiday, 
and  as  such  became  general  both  in  Europe 
and  the  East,  as  early  as  the  seventh  century, 
perhaps  ftill  earlier.  The  tradition  of  the 
Three  Kings  accompanied  and  ftamped 
itfelf    upon    the    obfervance    of    the    feafl. 


Hence,  in  France,  it  is  popularly  known  as 
the  Feafl:  of  the  Kings,  *'  Fete  des  Rois"  ;  in 
Holland  and  Flanders  as  the  day  of  the 
Three  Kings,  ''  Driekoningendag  "  ;  and 
throughout  all  Germany  as  the  '*  Feaft  of 
the  Three  Holy  Kings,"  or  the  ''  Tag  der 
Heiligen  dree  Konige."  So  fixed  and  gen- 
eral were  the  belief  and  veneration  of  thefe 
Eaftern  sages,  as  the  Three  Kings,  that 
ever  fince  the  reign  of  Charlemagne,  their 
fkulls  and  other  relics  have  been  enllirined  at 
the  once  imperial  city  of  Cologne,  where 
they  are  il:ill  lliown,  and  the  city  itfelf  is 
confidered  by  its  inhabitants,  as  specially 
under  the  guardianlliip  of  the  Kings. 
Hence  in  old  popular  phrafe,  they  were 
called  in  France,  the  Kings  of  Cologne  j 
in  Italy  of  Colonia ;  in  Germany,  of  Koln, 
or  Coin ;  in  the  Netherlands,  of  Keuleun  ; 
in  our  older  Englilh   tongue  of  Cullen,  all 


7 

of   them   being    national    variations  of   the 
same  name. 

This  same  tradition  soon  pafled  into  the 
arts  of  defign.  The  Adoration  of  the  royal 
Magi  has  long  been  a  favorite  subject  for 
the  arts,  and  it  has  always  been  reprefented, 
under  the  traditional  forms  of  Three  Kings, 
one  aged,  one  boyilh,  and  one  black,  from 
the  Pre-Raphaelites  in  Italy,  and  Van 
Eyck,  and  his  old  Dutch  and  Flemifh  pupils, 
down  to  the  works  of  modern  continental 
artifts.  Rubens,  for  example,  painted  "  the 
Adoration  of  the  Magi,"  repeatedly,  and  with 
his  ufual  fertility  varied  his  whole  compofi- 
tion  in  each  pidure,  but  in  every  one  he 
preferved  the  three  Magi  as  Kings,  with  their 
known  legendary  charaderiftics.  The  subjcd 
is  fimilarly  reprefented  in  the  spirited  Belgian 
wood  carvings  and  in  the  bas-relief  and  other 
sculptured  ftone-work  of  old  cathedrals. 


s 


It  is  undoubtedly  from  some  affociation 
with  this  tradition  of  wide-spread  popidar 
beHef  as  well  as  of  liigh  art,  that  the  fefHve 
and  extra-ecclefialHeal  celebration  of  the 
Feaft  of  the  Epiphany  has  throughout  Chrif 
tendom  taken  as  its  principal  feature  the  se- 
lection by  some  sort  of  lot  of  a  Twelfth- 
Night  King  and  Queen,  who  rule  with  des- 
potic authority  and  receive  unqueftioned 
voluntary  homage  during  their  brief  span  of 
power  and  dignity.  The  reafon  of  such  an 
alTociation  of  ideas  thus  refulting  in  a 
univerliil  cuftom  is  not  very  obvious ;  but  the 
fa6l  is  certain  that  the  traditional  opinion 
and  the  feftive  cuftom  have  always  gone 
together,  for  many  centuries  and  in  many 
different  lands.  Even  in  England,  where 
the  feftival  has  never  borne  the  name  of 
''  the  Kings,"  the  same  ufage  prevails.  In- 
deed, we  have  the  exprefs  authority  of  Selden 


9 

the  moft  philofophical  as  well  as  the  moft 
learned  of  Englifh  antiquarians,  as  given  in 
his  agreeable  and  moft  inftructive  little 
volume  of  ''  Table  Talk,"  that  "  the  Encr 
lifli  cuftom  of  choofmg  king  and  queen  at 
Twelfth-Night  is  from  the  tradition  of  the 
Three  Kings  of  Cullen." 

In  old  England  the  popular  as  well  as 
the  literary  and  poetical  name  of  this  fefti- 
val  has  always  been  Twelfth-Day,  or  Twelfth- 
Night,  it  being  the  twelfth  from  Chriftmas, 
concluding  the  Chriftmas  holidays,  and 
univerfally  kept  as  "the  blitheft  and  the 
laft." 

For  the  laft  hundred  years  paft,  it  has  been 
very  commonly  known  among  the  Englifti 
people  as  "  Old  Chriftmas,"  this  being  the 
day  when  Chriftmas  would  fall  according  to 
the  old  ftyle  which  was  ufed  in  Great  Britain 
until  1752,  when  the  reformed  or  Gregorian 


lO 


computation  was  adojuctl  b\  law,  and  the 
k'tral  almanac  conformed  to  the  '' nev.  Ayle" 
by  dr(oj:)jMng  eleven  days,  as  well  as  by  provid- 
ing againil  future  error  by  divers  other  ar- 
rangements of  the  calendar.  Hiis,  liow- 
ever,  has  little  to  do  with  the  popularity  of 
Twelfth-Night,  which,  as  one  of  the  mofl 
joyous  of  Engliih  holidays,  dates  back  much 
beyond  the  formation  of  our  prefent  Engliih 
language.  The  ancient  royal  houfehold 
books  which  have  been  of  late  years  brought 
to  light  and  printed  by  the  Antiquarian  and 
Archaeological  Societies,  contain  directions 
for  the  magnificent  and  precife  ceremonial 
of  ^'  Twelfe-Day  " ;  while  the  poets  and 
dramatifts  give  equal  evidence  how  dear  this 
feftival  was  to  the  people,  and  how  general 
and  joyous  was  its  celebration  in  town  and 
country. 

Thus   we   find  the  houfehold  regulations 


II 


of  Henry  VII.  prefcribing  the  very  robes 
the  true  King  was  to  wear  on  that  day  when 
he  went  to  offer  gold,  incenfe,  and  myrrh, 
walking  in  ftate,  ''  with  his  laffe  before  him." 
For  the  benefit  of  the  reader  who  may  hap- 
pen to  be  unfkilled  in  early  Englifh  phrafe- 
ology,  it  muft  be  added  that  the  "laffe  "  was 
not,  as  he  may  imagine,  a  favourite  court  lady, 
but  the  great  "  cutlafs  "  or  sword  of  ftate. 
The  same  books  provide  both  ruler  and  funds 
for  the  wild  revelry  of  the  evening,  under  the 
management  of  the  Lord  of  Mifrule,  who 
was  the  defpotic  did:ator  of  the  sports  in 
court  and  city  during  the  Chriftmas  Holi- 
days, ending  with  the  acceffion  of  a  cake- 
elecSled  sovereign  to  rule  till  morning. 
The  sports  and  ufages  of  ''  Twelfe-Day," 
under  the  earlier  Plantagenets,  are  defcribed 
in  rhyming  Latin  verfe  by  a  learned  and  jolly 
monk  of  thofe  days,  Nargeorgus ;  and  some- 


12 


time  later  by  Ikirnaby  Gouge  in  Englilh 
rliyme  which  can  hardly  be  called  verfc. 
Tlie  gayeil  and  moil  graceful  oi  Shake- 
fpeare's  comedies  bears  the  title  oi  7\velith- 
Night,  doiibtlefs  becaiife  it  was  fir{\  prcfented 
on  that  feiHval ;  for  the  ingenuity  and  learn- 
ing of  his  legion  of  commentators,  have 
not  been  able  to  aifign  any  other  reafon  for 
the  title,  and  this  feftival,  we  know  from 
other  sources,  was  always  chofen  ior  the  firil: 
preienting  oi  any  new  dramatic  piece.  Her- 
rick,  the  Anacreon  of  old  Engliili  litera- 
ture, luxuriates  in  the  details  of  Twelith- 
Night  feafting  and  frolicking,  to  which 
he  gives  a  diftinguiilied  place  in  enu- 
merating the  feftal  splendours  and  gaieties 
of  his  country. 

"  Thy  sports,  thy  pageantries  and  plays. 
Thy  mummeries — Thy  Twelfe-Tide  Kings 
And  Queens — thy  Chriftmas  revellings." 


13 

The  election  of  King  and  Queen  by  some 
sort  of  lot,  appears  to  have  been  everywhere 
and  at  all  times  of  the  very  effence  of  this 
feftivity.  In  old  England  it  was  effected 
generally  by  a  pea  and  a  bean,  or  sometimes 
a  ring  or  coin  in  a  plum  cake,  to  be  cut 
into  flices ;  the  fortunate  drawers  of  thofe 
containing  the  pea  and  bean  being  inftanta- 
neoufly  elevated  to  royal  honour.  Herrick 
chants  forth  the  myfteries  of  the  King-and- 
Queen-making  bean  and  pea ;  thus  deciding, 

"  Who  ftiall  for  the  prefent  delight,  here. 
Be  a  King  by  the  lot. 
And  who  fhall  not 
Be  Twelfth-Day  Queen  for  the  night." 

The  merry  old  Anglican  prieft,  for  such 
was  Herrick,  joys  mofi:  luftily  over  "  the 
mighty  cakes,  full  of  plums,"  to  be  devour- 
ed after  they  had  served  to  decide  this  great 
queftion  of  eled:ive  sovereignty.  He  then, 
with  that  authority  due  to  old  experience. 


prcfcribcs   the   ingredients   and   compofition 
of  the  "  WaiTailing  bowl." 

"  Addc  sugar,  nutmegs  and  ginger. 
With  ftore  of  ale  too. 
Aye,  thus  ye  muft  do 
To  make  the  WafTail,  a  swinger." 

Nor  is  he  lefs  authoritative-  and  peremp- 
tory as  to  quantity,  than  he  is  to  tlie  rightly- 
compounded  quality  of  the  myftic  beverage, 
for,  to  correfpond  fittingly  with  his  ''  mighty 
cakes,"  he  thus  adds, 

"  Fill  me  a  mighty  bowl 
Up  to  the  brim." 

But  it  is  not  for  his  own  exclusive  confump- 
tion  that  the  frolickfome  old  prieft  requires 
this  liberal  proviiion,  for  he  trolls  forth  to  all 
''his  merry,  merry  boys," 

"  Honor  to  you  who  fit 
Near  by  this  well  of  wit. 
And  drink  your  fill  of  it." 

Moreover,  the  Boar's  Head,  dreffed  after 
some   moft  elaborate  receipt  of   the  times, 


15 

and  carried  aloft  in  great  ftate,  was  alfo  an 
important,  and  in  ancient  times  abfo- 
lutely  an  effential,  feature  of  an  EnglilTi 
Twelfth-Tide.  This  was  accompanied  by 
various  carrols,  chants,  glees,  or  songs,  sev- 
eral of  which,  with  the  appropriate  mufic, 
have  come  down  to  our  time.  One  of  thefe 
preferved  by  Oxonian  tradition,  ran  to  this 
meafure : 

The  boare  is  dead, 

Loe  heare  is  his  head,  &c. 

But  the  decidedly  favourite  chant,  which 
the  antiquarians  pronounce  to  be  the  one 
in  conftant  ufe  from  the  reign  of  Edward  I., 
when  our  prefent  Englifh  tongue  had  par- 
tially evolved  itfelf  from  its  Saxon  and  An- 
glo-Norman elements,  down  through  all 
the  Plantagenets  and  the  Tudors,  is  ftiU 
annually  ufed  at  Oxford,  though  obfolete 
elfewhere.      It    was    happily    preferved     by 


i6 

the  prefs  of  Waynkyn  dc  Wordc,  witli  the 
date  of  MDXXI.,  with  the  very  air  then  iifed. 
Its  intermixture  of  Latin  verfe  attefts  its 
origin  from  the  conventual  dining  hall  of 
some  merry  monks. 

Caput  Apri  dcfen 
Reddens  laudcs  Domino. 

The  Bore's  head  in  hande  bring  I, 
With  Garlandcs  gay  and  rofemarie, 
I  pray  you  all  synge  merrily, 
Que  estis  in  convivio. 

The  Bore's  head  I  underftande 
Is  the  chiefe  servyce  in  this  lande, 
Looke  wherever  it  be  founde 
Servite  cum  cantico. 

Be  gladde,  Lordes  both  more  and  lafse 
Far  this  hath  ordayncd  our  stewarde 
To  cheer  you  all  this  Chriftmafle 
The  bore's  head  with  muftarde. 

Our  older  Englifh  anceftors  seem  to 
have  relifhed  high  flomatic  ftimulants  in  all 
their  cookery,  and  were  "very  ftrong  upon 
ginger  and  muftard."     Dr.  King,  the  play- 


17 

ful  and  poetical  praditioner  of  civil  law  in 
Doctors'  Commons,  and  afterwards  an  admi- 
ralty judge  in  Ireland,  whofe  almoft  forgot- 
ten volumes  sparkle  throughout  with  wit, 
original  yet  learned,  and  innocent  though 
sportive,  in  giving  poetical  direftions  how 
"  to  send  up  the  Brawner's  head,"  enjoins 
specially, 

"  Sauce  like  himfelf  offensive  to  his  foes. 
The  roguifh  muftard  dangerous  to  the  nofe." 

King  wrote  in  the  firft  years  of  the  laft 
century,  but  the  muftard,  which  in  his  day 
had  dwindled  down  to  a  mere  sauce  or  mi- 
nor adjunct,  figured  much  more  prominently 
in  the  ftill  older  days  of  England's  feftivities. 
In  the  antique  carrols  it  is  frequently  intro- 
duced, rhyming  moft  incongruously  in  senfe 
though  matching  in  sound,  with  '^  custard;  " 
whilst  in  one  of  the  old  rituals  of  Twelfe- 
Day,  it  was  commanded,  ''  De  par  le  Roy," 


i8 

that  the  bearer  of  the  Boar's  head,  the 
goodhefl:  man  and  higheft  in  ftatiire  that 
could  be  found,  ihould  walk  between  '^  two 
pages  yclad  in  tafatye  sarcenet,  each  bearing 
a  good  niefs  of  nuifl-ard." 

The  members  and  guells  of  the  Century 
Club,  need  not  to  be  informed  of  what  it  is 
nevertheleis  due  to  ourfelves  to  mention 
in  this  place,  for  the  inflruction  and  guidance 
of  the  public  tafte,  as  well  as  the  vindication 
of  our  own  kitchen,  that  this  venerable 
afTociation  does  not  follow  the  rules  and 
cookery  of  the  old  Engliili  Twelve-Tide, 
in  the  preparation  of  their  annual  Boar's  head. 
Upon  a  very  erudite  and  scientific  report, 
made  by  their  official  Standing  committee 
of  Supplies,  after  deliberate  examination  of 
the  authorities  and  repeated  scientific  prac- 
tical experiments,  the  Century  solemnly 
refolved  that  the  aforesaid  Annual  Twelfth- 


19 

Night  Boar's  head,  fhould  always  be  cooked 
with  sugar  and  vinegar,  and  without  muftard, 
after  "  the  high  Roman  fafhion,"  according 
to  a  very  precife  receipt  for  the  preparation 
of  Boar's  flefh,  whether  wild  or  tame,  brought 
from  Italy  some  years  ago  by  the  eminent 
artift,  whofe  great  national  painting  of 
the  "  Embarkation  of  the  Pilgrims," 
adorns  the  Rotunda  of  the  Capitol  of  our 
Union.  The  report  of  the  Committee  was 
fortified  by  the  authority  of  another  eminent 
artift,  whofe  works  alfo  adorn  our  national 
Capitol.  John  G.  Chapman,  one  of  the 
moft  honoured  and  beloved  fathers  of  the 
club,  now  and  for  some  years  part  a  refident 
at  Rome,  particularly  certified,  as  the  refult 
of  his  own  perfonal  inveftigation,  that  it 
had  been  well  settled  that  this  receipt  was 
proved  by  indubitable  artiftic  tradition,  as 
well  as  by  unimpeachable  literary  evidence. 


20 


to  have  been  the  one  iifed  for  the  Epiphany 
feafts  of  which  Michael  Angelo,  and  Ra- 
phael, and  Titran  annually  partook,  and 
which  had  on  a  special  occafion,  received  the 
exprefs  approbation  of  that  critical  judge  of 
good-living,  Italy's  favourite  poet,  Ludovico 
Ariofto.  It  was  therefore  unanimoufly  re- 
folved,  that  on  this  matter  the  more  grace- 
ful and  eflhetic  pradice  of  Italy  and 
all  Southern  Europe,  fhould  supersede  the 
narrow  and  merely  insular  Englifh  ufage. 
It  is  alfo  specially  worthy  of  remark,  that 
the  mofi:  erudite  and  acute  of  Europe's 
claffical  scholars,  the  excellent  Cardinal 
Angelo  Mai  has  intimated  an  opinion,  that 
this  prefent  Roman  fafhion  of  cooking  the 
Boar's  flefh,  has  come  down  from  the  high 
and  palmy  days  of  Rome's  luxury,  and  is  the 
very  same  ufed  in  the  kitchens  of  Lucullus, 
of  Apicius,  and  of  Mark  Anthony,  with  the 


21 


mere  subftitute  of   our  sugar  to  the  honey 
ufed  by  the  culinary  artifts  of  old  Rome. 

The  logical  connection  of  the  subjedt 
here  compells  us  to  speak  on  another  collat- 
eral point,  on  which  the  Century  Club  has 
upon  principle  not  hefoated  to  depart  from 
the  old  Englifh  regulations  of  Twelfth- 
Night,  and  the  high  authority  of  the  ven- 
erable Herrick.  It  was  upon  the  maturefl: 
advifement  that  they  refolved  that,  on  this 
and  other  high  feftivities,  their  Waffail 
should  not,  like  that  of  Herrick  and  his 
compeers,  confifl:  only,  or  even  chiefly,  of 
thofe  liquid  compounds  whereof  malt  forms 
the  chemical  bafis.  Not  at  all  partaking  of 
the  ariftocratic  contempt  of  Tacitus  for  malt 
liquors,  which  the  sneering  old  wine-drink- 
ing patrician  infolently  terms,  "  a  liquor 
from  barley  or  wheat,  corrupted  into  a  cer- 
tain   semblance    of   wine,"    ''in    quandam 


?  o 


similitiidincm  vini  corriiptum,"  hut  indeed 
liolding  them  in  honour  as  national  heverages 
of  hrave  and  lloiit  men,  they  yet  thought  it 
to  be  due  alike  to  the  artiflic  and  the  literary 
character  of  their  own  afToeiation,  and  the 
mixed  anceftry  of  their  own  members,  to  ex- 
hibit this  prominent  feature  of  such  celebra- 
tions in  more  efthetic  forms,  indicating  a 
larger  nationality,  a  more  catholic  com- 
prehenfivenefs  than  could  find  room  within 
the  infular  narrownefs  of  the  Englilli  rule. 
The  Hio;h  Stewards  of  their  feftivals  there- 
fore,  on  such  occafions,  are  directed,  in  ad- 
dition to  sufficient  supplies  of  malted  com- 
pounds, for  thofe  w^ho  prefer  them,  alfo  to 
crown  the  feftive  boards  with  such  fluids 
as  may  beft  recall  the  glories  and  the  joys  of 
other  races  and  other  fatherlands.  Thefe 
learned  and  discriminating  officers,  have  ac- 
cordingly always  prefented  for  the  Centurial 


23 

Waffail,  wines  of  Champaigne,  such  as  had 
erst  ripened  under  the  golden  fkies  which 
Claude  painted,  had  foamed  and  mantled 
in  the  grand  declamations  of  Corneille, 
and  giv^en  their  own  fervent  life  to  many  a 
song  of  Beranger — wines  of  Bordeaux  in 

Thofe  royal  purple  ftreams. 
Coloured  by  the  sun's  red  beams ; 

such  as  had  infpired  the  eloquence  of  the 
haplefs  Gironde,  and  the  wit  and  wifdom  of 
Montaigne  and  Montesquieu — tall  flafks 
fraught  with  old  vintages  from  the  mountain 
vineyards  of  the  Rhine,  every  one  of  them 
eloquent  with  the  memory  of  Schiller  and 
Goethe,  and  the  arts  of  Munich  or  Duffel- 
dorf — grave  and  ftately  wines  of  Spain, 
some  from  the  rocky  vineyards  of  La  Mancha, 
of  the  very  growths  made  claffical  by  the 
praifes  of  Sancho  Panza,  and  others  again 
from    Xeres,    breathing    the    scent    of    the 


cTufliccl  Camomile  flower  that  I.opcz  dc  la 
Vega  loved,  and  all  of  them  bright  with 
the  glories  of  Cer\'antes  and  Miirillcj. 
Moreover,  ftrietly  abitinent  as  thefe  high 
funetionaries  ever  are  from  all  ''  hot  and 
rebellions  liquors,'-  they  found  that  their  high 
senfe  of  right  obliged  them,  upon  principle, 
to  add  to  their  XA'afTliil  duly  compounded 
preparations  of  the  more  potent  fluid  which 
Ireland  loves,  and  which  Scotland  honours, 
whose  smoky  flavour  gains  added  zest  from 
the  recolledions  of  the  eloquence  and  genius 
of  Curran,  and  the  Emmets,  and  Tom 
Moore,  of  Burns,  and  of  Walter  Scott. 

It  is  trufled  that  enough  has  now  been  said 
without  any  more  formal  reply  to  the  malign- 
ers  of  the  Centurial  Waflliil,  and  the  cook- 
ing of  the  Boar's  head  to  prove  that  in  both 
the  Century  is  at  once  antiquarian  and 
efthetic,  catholic,  and  cofmopolitan. 


25 

It  has  been  learnedly  and  moft  zealoufly 
maintained  by  some  Englifh,  and  certain 
French  antiquarians,  that  the  obfervances 
and  rites  of  Twelfth-Tide,  such  as  the 
Boar's  Head,  the  Waflail,  with  many  others 
which  we  are  compelled  to  pafs  over  in 
the  prefent  fketchy  outlines,  are  certainly 
of  Celtic,  and  probably  of  Druidical 
origin.  On  the  contrary,  several  great 
scholars  of  Germany  and  of  Italy  are  equally 
poiitive  that  all  the  ceremonials  and  ufages 
have  come  down  from  ancient  Rome,  and 
its  annual  Saturnalia,  and  were  at  an  early 
period  engraffed  in  Italy,  upon  the  previous 
purely  religious  church  feftival. 

The  Century  Club  cannot,  with  the  pre- 
fent imperfedl  lights  on  the  subjed:,  venture 
to  pronounce  any  decided  opinion  on  this 
intricate  and  very  important  archaeological 
queftion,  and  therefore  sufpend  their  judg- 


26 

mcnt  thereon  until  further  arguments  are 
submitted  by  tlie  learned  of  Oxford,  of 
Leyden,  of  Paris,  Ikrlin,  and  Rome. 

JUit  whatever  may  be  the   origin  of   thefe 
ufages,  the  extent  of  their   adoption  is  truly 
remarkable,   for    ''  Le    Roi   de  la   Fevc,"  in 
Franee,  and  the  ^'  Duca  di  Maggio  "  in  Italy, 
are  eleeted  with  as  mueh  solemnity,  and  reign 
as  defpotieally,  on   this  feftival,  as  the  Eng- 
lilli    Twelfth-Night     Kings     and     Queens; 
whilft  Holland,  even   in  the  moft  republican 
days  of  the  Seven  United  Provinces,  and  in 
Germany,    even  in    our  ow^n    time,   in  the 
proud   little    republics    of    Hamburgh    and 
Bremen,   not  a  fingle   murmur  of  rebellion 
was  ever  raifed  againfl:    the  royal  authority 
of  the  cake-elected  sovereigns  of  the  Dutch 
<'  Driekoningendag,"      or    of    the    German 
"  Tag  der  heiligen  drei  Konige." 

On  Italy's   claffic  soil  the  morning  of  the 


27 

feftival  is  welcomed  with   solemn  religious 
pomp,  as  the  Epifania  (the  Epiphany),  whilft 
under    its    endeared  colloquial  name  of  La 
Befania,  for  the  reft  of  the   day  it  is  every 
where  celebrated  with  unreftrained  and  boy- 
ifli  jocularity,    with   mirth,    and   feaft,   and 
dance,  and  song ;  so  that — if  we  may  venture 
to  imitate  Webfter's  grand  image  of  the  re- 
port of  England's  morning  gun  circling  the 
globe — the  mixed  sound  of  mufic,  of  laugh- 
ter, and  of  feftive  fhouts,  flows  along,  wave 
after     wave,     over     the   sunny  land  of  the 
myrtle    and  the  vine,  from  village  to  village, 
from    city  to    city,   without    a    paufe  from 
Palermo  to  Nice. 

The  Befania  is  alfo  in  Italy  a  fixed  epoch 
for  annual  prefents,  like  the  Chriftmas  gifts 
and  boxes  of  England,  and  the  New- Year's 
Day  for  etrennes    of  France. 

If  any  of  our  readers  fhould  be  defirous 


28 

of  knowing  how  this  klHval  was  kept  in 
older  days  of  Italy's  glory,  and  wealth,  and 
art,  we  nuiii  he  eontent  to  reler  him  to  the 
pages  of  their  brilliant  eonteniporary  authors, 
who  told  with  patriot  pride  of  "  her  palaees, 
her  ladies,  and  her  pomp,"  and  efpeeially  to 
thofe  Hernesei  poets  (for  so  they  are  termed), 
the  poets  of  the  sehool  of  the  spirited  and 
playful  Berni,  who,  like  him,  pais  rapidly 
from  grave  to  gay,  mixing  the  droll  with  the 
brilliant  in  the  very  tafte  and  spirit  of  our 
own  Halleck. 

We  have  already  alluded  to  the  "  Jour 
des  Rois  "  in  France,  and  its  King  of  the 
Bean.  In  former  days  this  was  celebrated 
with  as  much  ftate  and  as  much  frolic  as  in 
Italy,  as  the  curious  reader  can  satisfy  himfelf 
very  pleaiantly,  by  looking  into  some  of  the 
writings  of  French  antiquarians  or  hiftorians, 
who,   ftrikingly    contraft    to    the    writers   of 


29 

other  nations  upon  fnnilar  topics,  ordi- 
narily as  dry  and  heavy  as  the  subjeds  them- 
selves;  for  many  a  French  antiquary  has 
drefled  the  moft  unpromifing  themes  of 
this  sort  with  the  same  grace  and  HveH- 
nefs  with  which  Count  Hamilton  told  his 
fairy  tales  in  the  laft  century,  or  Scribe  and 
his  affociates  conftrud:  a  farce  in  the  prefent 
day. 

The  national  adoption  of  Le  Jour  de  I'An, 
New  Year's  Day,  for  the  exclulive  diflribu- 
tion  of  prefents  to  friends  and  children,  and 
gifts  to  servants,  and  employes,  has  fhorn 
Twelfth-Night  in  Paris  of  some  of  the 
special  honour  and  affed:ions  of  humbler  and 
of  youthful  minds,  which  in  some  other 
countries  it  divides  with  Chriftmas.  Besides, 
as  to  Paris,  what  with  revolutions  and  specu- 
lations, politics  and  the  Bourse,  the  Parifians 
have    certainly  become    a   sadder    if  not  a 


30 

w'ifcT  pLoplc.  1  f()\vc\'cr,  thu  Day  ol  the 
Kings  is  iHIl  lionoiircci  there  more  or  lefs, 
and  in  nianv  a  uortliv  I^ourgeois  family  and 
in  many  a  laded  I  lotel  ot  the  I'aiihourg  St. 
Germain  inhabiteti  hv  noble  names,  it  is  wel- 
comed uith  warm  hearts  and  beaming  faces. 
In  a  large  part  ol  the  prov  inees  it  (HI!  keeps 
its  ground,  \aried  w  ith  sundry  local  ceremo- 
nies and  euiloms.  'I  heir  majeilies  are  some- 
times cholen  hv  the  bean  in  the  cake,  some- 
times  by  the  finding  in  the  selected  ilice  a 
I'llver  or  gold  coin,  and  sometimes  (as  in  what 
was  formerly  Lower  Normandy)  by  the 
more  primitive  method  of  a  boy  blinded 
under  the  table  calling  out  as  by  chance  the 
fortunate  names.  There  too,  in  spite  of 
changes  in  governments,  in  manners,  and 
in  names,  nay  even  in  spite  of  rail-roads, 
many  an  old  ufage  yet  lingers,  that  was 
practised  centuries  ago  ;   they  dance  juft  as 


31 


they  did  more  than  a  hundred  years  ago,  to 
the  mufic  of  the  traveller  poet, 

Alike  all  ages,  dames  of  ancient  days 

Still  lead  their  children  through  the  mirthful  maze, 

And  the  gay  grandsire  (killed  in  geflic  lore. 

Still  frifks  beneath  the  burden  of  three  score. 

The  laugh-provoking  ciiftom,  known  as 
"  Le  Roi  boit,"  prefcribing  certain  penal- 
ties or  prizes,  whenever  his  Majefty  drinks, 
is  of  French  origin,  though  it  has  spread 
elfewliere. 

Throughout  univerfal  Germany,  the  Day 
of  the  Three  Holy  Kings  (der  Tag  de  Heil- 
igen  Drei  Koninge)  has  perhaps  a  ftronger 
hold  upon  the  people  than  anywhere  else. 
Its  form  of  obfervance  varies  somewhat  in 
Northern  Cicrmany  from  that  in  Southern, 
and  in  Roman  Catholic  from  Proteftant 
cities  or  ftates.  Local  habits  and  chara6lers, 
alfo,  caufe  some  variety. 

Cologne    of  courfe   celebrates   with  great 


32 

|)()in|),  ami  noise,  aiui  public  iLiUvitv,  the 
day  of  tlu-  MiuTntrd  Kings  \vho(e  rclic<i  sin- 
giiauis.  Lillic,  hut  rciiowncd  (iottiiigcn, 
cjuict  aiul  ihidious,  welcomes  the  day  in  her 
own  lalliion,  uilh  children's  gilts  and  frolics, 
some  fhident  jollification,  and  in  the  evening 
with  a  *'  the  danlant,"  of  tea  and  cake,  nuif'ie 
and  walt/ing,  at  the  nKnleii  reiidenee  of  some 
eminent  j^rotellor,  wiio  jfndies  and  teaches 
fifteen  hours  a  day,  and  is  an  oracle  of  the 
uhole  learned  world  in  Mathematics,  or 
in  (ireek  or  I  lehrew,  or  ecclefiafUcal  his- 
tory, or  Biblical  criticism. 

But  it  is  e\erywhere  the  children's  favour- 
ite holiday.  In  many  places  fairs  are  held 
with  booths  full  of  toys,  trinkets,  and  con- 
fedionary  ;  while  masked  or  fantaftically 
decc^rated  proceffions  roam  about  the  fl-reets, 
headed  by  three  crowned  children. 

Even    in   sober,   methodical,    commercial 


Lutheran  Hamburg,  bufinefs  is  sufpended; 
even  that  famous  bank,  which  deals  in  cur- 
rency only,  meddles  with  no  paper  but  its 
own,  and  whole  notes  are  always  worth 
more  than  gold  or  filver,  is  clofed.  Friend- 
ly prefents  are  given,  and  all  the  children 
made  happy  bv  their  holiday  wealth  as  well 
as  by  their  holiday  frolics. 

The  morning  opens  witii  merry  chimes 
from  the  church  towers,  the  ftreets  are  vocal 
all  dav  with  the  chaunts  and  carols  of 
choriiler  boys  ;  in  houles  public  and  private 
rifcs  the  smell  of  the  feaft,  mixed  with  the 
perfumes  of  flowers,  and  of  Rhein-Wein, 
and  the  fimies  of  choice  Canafler ;  or  elfe, 
blended  with  the  more  plebeian  odours  of 
Lager  Bier,  and  the  thick  smoke  of  Rauch- 
taback.  On  that  fixth  of  January  night,  in 
that  fir  northern  city  swept  by  keen  blafts 
from  the  North  Sea,  it  mufl  be  a  wild  night 

3 


3+ 

iiuiccd,  which  can  prc\'cnt  the  iirccts  from 
being  \'ocal  with  nuiiic  and  scjng,  and  with 
many  a  serenade,  even  at  midnight,  not  lefs 
melodious,  and  hir  more  cordially  received 
by  the  blue-eyed  maidens  of  Hamburg,  tlian 
thofe  in  milder  climes  at  which  Milton 
scolled    in    his   sneer  at 

"  Mix'd  dance  or  wanton  maflc,  or  midnight  hnll. 
Or  scrcnatc,  which  the  ftarvcd  lover  fingi 
To  his  proud  fair,  bcft  quitcd  with  difJain.'' 

Throughout  the  Netherlands,  whetlicr 
Belgian  or  l^atavian,  in  both  branches  of  the 
separated  but  kindred  people,  Flemilli  and 
Low  Dutch,  this  same  feil:i\al,  '^  de  Driekon- 
ingenfeeft,"  is  obferved  by  all  claffes.  It  is 
kept  more  as  a  social  holiday  by  the  Holland- 
ers,and  in  Flanders  with  more  of  the  external 
ceremonial  of  Cologne  ;  but  in  both  the  gen- 
eral cuftom  of  eledlion  by  lot  prevails,  and 
in  both,  there  is  a  difplay  and   confumption 


35 

of  cakes  and  "cookies"  of  all  sorts,  which 
would  put  Herrick's  "  mighty  cakes  "  out  of 
countenance,  as  zingerkoek,  zoetekoek, 
pannekoekj  olikoek  and  waafEls,  with 
many  artocreatic  dainties,  some  of  which 
ftill  linger  at  the  tea-tables  of  burghers  of 
old  defcent  in  New  York  and  Albany, 
but  moft  have  sunk  into  oblivion,  together 
with  that  sonorous  and  expreffive  tongue 
that  was  once  as  much  at  home  on  the 
banks   of  the   Hudfon,  as  on  the  dykes  of 

the  Y. 

The  chara6ler  and  ftyle  of  the  family  cel- 
ebration, as  well  as  its  antiquity  in  Flanders 
and  Brabant,  is  shown  in  one  of  the  moft 
popular  and  brilliant  paintings  of  the  Flem- 
iili  school,  the  "  Le  Roi  Boit"  of  Joerdans, 
the  worthy  pupil  of  Rubens.  The  life-like 
original,  gay  and  glowing  in  colour,  and 
beaming  withjoyousexpreffion;  is  well  known 


ro  tnivcllud  artiils  and  connoillciirs,  and  sev- 
eral sjiirited  cFi<j;ra\  iiigs  have  made  it  laniiliar 
to  thoiilaiuls  more. 

To  the  ciri/Lii^  ol  this  nutch-foiiiulcd 
city,  w  liLTc  the  names  ami  blooci  ot  I  loHand 
abound,  and  many  a  eiiltom  ol  Holland 
iHll  lingers,  the  hiltory,  aneetlotes  and  speeial 
uiaires  of  the  '^  Neder-Dmtseh  Driekonin- 
^renfeefK"  would  of  eoiiiie  have  peculiar  in- 
tereli.  With  the  aid  of  good  lather  Cats,  he 
whoftill  moulds  the  hearts  of  Dutch  children 
and  'Milb  the  ianey  on  the  fide  of  truth,"  and 
of  the  fertile  and  various  \'ondel,  the  Dutch 
Dryden,  and  with  aceefs  to  the  choice  col- 
ledion  of  Duteh  hiftory  and  literature  in 
the  Alter  Library,  it  would  be  eafy  to  fill 
pages  with  paffages  of  sonorous  or  of  jocofe 
verfe,  touchino;  this  feftivity  in  the  earlier 
days  of  the  Seven  United  Provinces,  or  with 
Twelfth-Day     anecdotes,     some     of     them 


11 

lofty  and  deviating,  and  others  of  fun  broad 
enough  to  provoke  the  loudefl:  laughter  of 
Burgomaftcrs.  To  thefe  there  might  be 
added  some  perhaps  not  unpidurefque 
fketches,  drawn  from  our  own  obfervations 
and  recolledions  of  the  Dutch  Day  of 
Kings  in  later  times.  But  from  this  we 
muft  refrain;  partly  becaufe  we  fear  to 
weary  the  patience  of  thofe  of  our  readers 
whofe  blood  "  boafts  no  drop  from  that 
immortal  line,"  but  chiefly  becaufe  we  dare 
not  trefpafs  on  the  peculiar  domain  of  that 
exclufive  and  venerable  body,  the  High 
and  Mighty  the  St.  Nicholas  Society  of 
New  York,  the  legitimate  and  jealous  con- 
servators of  all  that  pertains  to  the  social 
ufiges  of  the  founders  of  our  city.  Their 
Board  of  Stewards,  into  which  no  man  can 
be  elected  whofe  name  does  not  boaft  of  the 
prehx  of  a  Van,  has  for  years  been  engaged 

844G3 


i« 


on  a  great  work  upon  **  the  Ritual  of  Santa 
Clans  nnrl  rlu-  Ifolidavs  cxi  llullaiul/'  wlu-rr 
all  the  learning  on  sueh  snhjecfls  is  enilxKiieil. 
It  will  he  iilueil  on  next  Pinxtcr  Monday  from 
the  prefs  of  the  Appletons  in  lour  imperial 
(.jiKiilob,  and  to  this  noble  uuik  we  mui^  re- 
fer our  reailers,  as  an  ample  suhlHtute  for  the 
meagre  aeeoiint  that  our  spaee  could  now 
allow  us  to  give. 

Vet  there  is  one  Twelfth- Day  incident  in 
the  earlv  maritime  hiitory  of  Holland  which 
we  cannot  omit  to  mention;  partly  becaufc 
it  ha^  ne\ei  Oeiore  been  Uvtrrated  in  connec- 
tion with  this  subject ;  but  chiefly  becaufc 
the  llory,  interefting  and  touching  in  itfelf, 
prefents  alio  and  enforces  an  impreflivc 
lellon  ot  the  great  practical  and  moral  value 
of  such  national  and  domellic  feftivc  anni- 
vcriliries,  which,  endeared  bv  the  pleafures  of 
childhood  and  early   youth,  and   confecrated 


0        0 


39 

by  the  remembrance  of  domeiiic  and  social 
jovs,  bring  back  with  them  as  they  recur  in 
after  life,  together  with  the  recollections, 
something  of  the  reality  of  the  joys  and  the 
piirit\-  of  youth  and  of  home.  It  has  alfo 
a  IHll  additional  intereil  in  this  coimtry  and 
at  this  time,  from  its  parallel  \yith  some  of 
the  recent  Arctic  ad\entures  of  our  own 
c()iintr\ men,  and  their  aflociation  with  the 
memory  of  Dr.  Kane,  who  whilit  living 
filled  the  |)ublic  minti,  and  whole  death 
has  saddened  the  public  heart. 

Neyer  was  the  spirit  of  maritime  enter- 
prife  more  ardent  and  eflective  than  in  Hol- 
land, during  the  continuance  of  the  pro- 
tracted war  for  the  independence  of  the 
United  Netherlands,  after  the  firft:  terrible 
ftruggle  was  oyer,  and  national  soyereignty 
was  subftantially  achieyed.  Near  the  clofe 
of  the  sixteenth    century,  seyeral  expeditions 


40 

lor  maritime  cllfcoNcry  were  fitted  out,  some 
for  tile  American  eoails,  ami  others  lor  a 
tlifeoxery  ol  a  lliorter  |)airage  In  the  North 
to  China  and  [ajKin,  whither  Dutch  com- 
merce had  already  found  its  wav  bv  the 
lon<j;  and  te^iiou^  .Southern  pallage  hv  the 
Cape  of  (Jooil  I  lope.  Ihe  conuiiercial  en- 
terprife  thrected  to  the  W'elkrn  Indies,  as 
our  whole  1  lemilphere  was  then  denomina- 
ted, led  a  few  years  alter  to  the  difcovcry 
antl  settlement  of  New  Amfterdam.  It 
was  the  enterprile  and  capital  ol  the  same 
far-seeing  merchants,  which  under  lefs  hap- 
py aufpices  projected  and  equipped  the  ex- 
pedition o\  1596  lor  the  dilcovery  of  a  North- 
wel}  palTage  to  the  Indies.  There  was  more 
than  one  of  thele  expeditions,  but  we  speak 
of  that  under  the  command  of  Ian  Cornelius- 
on  and  Jacob  \^an  Heemllcirk,  which  sailed 
from  Amil:erdam  in  Mav  1596.      Cornelius- 


4-1 

on  was  an  experienced  navigator;  Heem- 
ikirk  a  young  man,  (he  was  but  twenty- 
seven,)  of  kind  manners,  bright  talents,  and 
high  moral  worth. 

Their  veiTels  were  of  the  kind  ufed  for 
the  intricate  and  fhallow  navigation  of  the 
iikmds  and  inlets  of  Holland  and  Zealand, 
and  were  preferred  by  the  Dutch  for  pur- 
pofes  of  coafl:  and  river  exploration,  being 
broad,  capacious,  and  of  little  draught  of 
water.  They  were  called  by  them  ''  Vlie 
boots,"  from  their  being  firfl:  ufed  to  navigate 
the  Vlie,  a  name  which  has  palled  with  flight 
changes  into  nautical  ufe  in  other  languages. 
We  mention  this  flidt,  though  not  important 
to  our  ftorv,  becaufe  it  was  in  a  veflel  of  this 
sort,  the  fly -boat  ''  HaalvT  Maan  "  or  the 
Half  Moon,  originally  selected  and  fitted  out 
for  another  voyage  of  Ardfic  exploration, 
that  Hendrick   Hudfon,   twelve  years  after, 


42 

firfl  broke  the  unknown  wave  of  the  Har- 
bour of  New  York,  and  thence  sounded  his 
slow  and  doubtful  way  up  tlie  broad  Maha- 
kaneghtuek,  "thcCireat  riwrof  the  Moun- 
tains." 

The  narrative  of  this  expedition  of  i  596, 
is  given  minutely  and  ehron(jlogieally  in  the 
annals  of  Peter  Hor  Chriftianzoon,  known  in 
his  days  as  a  lawyer,  and  a  fbtesman,  high  in 
office  but  now  remembered  only  as  the  con- 
scientious, laborious,  and  graphic  annalifl 
of  the  Netherlands,  from  1550  to  1605  the 
brighefl:  period  of  the  early  antl  heroic  age 
of  the  Dutch  Republic.  The  hnc  copy 
of  his  annals  in  the  Aftor  Library,  whence 
we  chiefly  draw  our  information,  is  in 
seven  mafTy  parchment-covered  folios,  and 
is  illuftrated  amongfl  many  other  spirited 
engravings  of  heroes,  battles,  and  great 
events,   with  several   prints   reprefenting  the 


4 


'-» 


Ardic  scenes  of  the  exploration  of  1596- 
1597,  perils  from  combats  with  huge  bears 
and  elephantine  sea-lions,  from  mountains  of 
ice  and  other  Ardic  incidents,  and  show- 
ing, from  such  scenes  being  intermixed  with 
engravings  of  great  national  events  and  the 
fine  portraits  of  chiefs  and  llatesmen,  the 
deep  interefl:  felt  in  tliis  ilory  by  the  author 
and  his  readers. 

The  two  vefiels  penetrated  together  so 
far  North  as  to  difcover  the  mofi:  Northern 
land  which  was  reached  for  two  centuries 
and  a  half  afterwards,  thofe  iflands  and  fteep 
mountains  to  which  Heemfkirk  gave  the 
defcriptive  appellation  of  Spitzbergen,  (or 
Iharp-pointed  mountains,)  which  they  ftill 
bear.  Tliey  then  parted  company,  Corne- 
liuson  taking  a  weflern  courfe.  Heemfkirk 
attempted  a  paillige  by  the  North  of  Nova 
Zembla,  but  though  it  was  yet  early  autumn 


+4 

soon  found  his  way  iniiKticd  and  dangerous 
from  lali-niaking  ice,  ami  hclorc  the  end  of 
October  his  \Lilel  was  locked  in  the  ice 
near  the  North  coafl^  of  \o\'a  Zemhhi,  only 
hiteen  degrees  from  the  North  Pole.  The 
days  luui  (lirunk  to  an  hour's  length,  and 
were  fall  liiniinilliing,  ami  there  was  no  hope 
of  extricating  the  veird,  lor  the  ocean  was 
fro/en  as  I'ar  as  it  could  he  seen.  The  crew 
had  therefore  only  to  prepare  to  jxifs  the 
winter  on  lliore,  as  heft  they  might. 

They  dismantled  their  veiTel,  and  landed 
their  sea-ftores,  and  then,  with  some  large 
drift  wood  and  timber  which  they  found  on 
that  totally  barren  ifland,  together  with 
materials  from  their  velTel,  conftructed  a 
laree  low  hut,  near  a  ftream  that  remained  un- 
frozen  in  spite  of  the  severity  of  the  cold 
they  already  experienced.  It  was  probably 
one  of  thofe  hot  springs  not  uncommon  in 


4-5 

high  Northern  hititudes.  They  provided 
themfelvTS  from  the  drift-wood  on  the  fhore 
with  a  tolerable  supply  of  fuel  for  the  win- 
ter, but  they  found  nothing  elfe  on  the  ifland 
likely  to  contribute  to  their  comfort,  save 
immenfe  white  bears,  some  of  which,  while 
daylight  yet  lafted,  they  killed,  preferving  the 
flefli  for  food,  and  the  fat  for  a  subftitute  for 
oil  when  that  Ihould  fail  for  their  lamps. 

On  the  4.th  of  November  the  sun  set  in 
the  lowerino;  Weft  for  the  laft  time  it  fhould 
rife  again,  until  after  a  night  of  almoft  the 
third  of  a  year.  The  ikies  were  covered 
with  fogs  and  snow,  all  was  in  utter  dark- 
nefs  without.  The  hiftorian  tells  us  that  it 
was  "  bitter  cold  "  (bitter  koud)  when  the 
adventurers  landed,  but  when  the  sun  left 
them,  he  says,  it  became  yet  more  exceed- 
ingly bitter  cold  ;  ''  uytermater  bitter  koud." 
Their  limbs  were  numbed,  their  blood  chilled, 


their  hearts  sunk  within  them.  Chrilhnas 
eunie,  ami  iloubtlefs,  as  may  be  inferred  from 
I  [eenilkirk's  eliaracter  as  it  a|)|)earetl  in  after 
life,  was  re\'erentlv  ohleiNetl  as  their  Re- 
lormecl  C-hiireh  ol  I  lollaml  preferihed;  but  if 
C>hriihnas  br()U<j^ht  with  it  piuus  reiignation, 
or  reliirious  eonlohition,  it  was  unaccom- 
paniecl  by  any  of  its  aeeiiRomecl  train  of 
mirthful  tealls  and  Hght-hearted  sports.  i  he 
New  ^'ear  eame  in,  but  there  rofe  no  New 
Year's  sun  either  in  the  heavens  or  in  their 
hearts. 

At  hiil:  the  telli\al  of  the  Three  Kings 
approaehed.  Then  after  conlultation  among 
thcmfelves,  on  the  eve  before  the  IWelfth- 
Day,  some  of  the  oldeil:  and  wilell  sailors 
rel'pectfully  addrelTed  Sehipper  Heemfkirk, 
and  told  him  that  it  would  not  do  to  pafs 
their  time  like  a  pack  of  white  bears,  be- 
tween growling  and  flecping,  that  they  muft 


4-7 

keep  the  ''  Drickoningendag,"  as  the  good 
people  did  at  home ;  they  therefore  requefted 
that  due  order  fhoiild  be  taken  for  such 
celebration  as  their  means  could  afford,  and 
that  they  might  choofe  a  king  by  the  ufual 
lot,  and  have  a  hearty  frolic.  The  Cap- 
tain cordially  affented  to  this  requeft,  which 
was  probably  made  from  his  own  sugges- 
tion. The  ship-ftores  laid  in  by  Dutch 
prudence,  and  their  coarfe  bear's  meat, 
afforded  subllantials  enough,  but  luxuries 
were  scarce.  Probably  the  '' jenever-vat " 
afforded  some  humbler  materials  for  their 
Waffail  bout,  but  Bor  tells  us  that  the 
Captain  brought  forth  a  little  wine  that 
had  been  kept  for  special  ufes,  that  they 
had  even  a  eood  allowance  of  white- 
bread,  and  that,  moreover,  they  fortunately 
had  meal  enough  whereof  to  enable  them 
to   bake  pan-cakes,    '' pannekoeken  af  bak- 


48 

ten."       With    thcTc    hiinil^lc    luxuries,    the) 
feafted  and    frolicked,  says   the   worthy  Bor, 
as   jovially   as    ''  they   eouKI    have   frolicked 
with  the   mof}  coftlv   victuals    and    drinks." 
The  choice  of  King  fell    upon    the    ''  high- 
boatswain,"  who  ruled  that  night  the  undif- 
puted    "  King    of    Nova    Zenibla,"    as    the 
hiftorian  calls  him.      Thev  could  not  want  a 
queen,  for  our  readers  may  learn  from  Mot- 
ley's admirable  hiftory,  how  the  Dutch  women 
of  the  coafl:,  particularly  thofe  of  the  iflands 
of  Zealand,  fhared  in  the  maritime  hardiliips 
-and   contells  of   their   hulbands  and  fathers. 
Yet  it  is   to   be   feared    that    the   Queen  of 
Nova  Zembla,  on  the  6th  of  January,  1597, 
was  neither  quite  as  young  or  as  handfome 
as  thofe  whom  the  accurately  difcriminating 
chance    of   the    Century  Club  elects  to  rule 
on  fimilar  feftivals.      But  they  frolicked  with 
a     hearty     good    will ;     they     sung,     they 


49 

danced,    they    huzzaed,    they   jumped,   and 
they  wreftled. 

Their  toils,  their  wants,  were  all  forgot. 
Their  prefent  fate,  their  future  lot. 
And  lighted  up  each  faded  eye 
With  all  the  sailor's  ecftafv. 

The  noify  and  merry  frolic  was  doubtlefs 
prolonged  for  many  an  hour,  for  their  fleep 
was  sound,  and  they  all  arofe  fortified  and 
refrefhed.  The  hour  of  gloom  had  pafled 
away  from  their  souls.  They  now  braced 
themfelves  up  to  bear  their  privations  and 
their  perils  as  became  men  who  had  sailed 
under  the  three-coloured  ftripes  of  Holland, 
and  fought  under  the  Lion-crefted  banner  of 
Orange.  They  now  kept  their  limbs  from 
ftiffening,  and  their  blood  warm  by  athletic 
exercifes ;  and  waited  with  cheerful  confi- 
dence for  that  sun  which  was  to  rife  on  the 
sixteenth  of  February.  But  on  the  24.th  of 
January,    they   were   surprifed   and   cheered 


50 

by  the  ap|K"arancc  of  light  ;  and  the  light 
continued  and  inereafetl.  Whether  it  was 
from  Northern  Lights,  or  whether  this  was 
the  firll  and  long  prohjnged  daybreak  (jf  an 
ar6lie  winter's  night,  is  doubtful  ;  but  ne\'er 
was  the  ''Holy  Light,  offspring  of  I  lea\en's 
firfl-born,"  hailed  with  more  re\ercntial  joy 
and  gratitude.  J  he  men  now  ifTued  forth 
from  their  liut,  boldly  breathed  the  cold  pure 
air,  hunted  the  bears,  and  fhot  smaller  animals 
whieh  now  began  to  appear  in  numbers. 

But  even  when  the  night  liad  almoil: 
wholly  lied  before  the  long  Northern  summer 
days,  his  veflel  befidcs  being  serioufly  dam- 
aged, was  ftill  fall:  locked  in  a  mountain  of 
ice.  Heemfkirk  now  perceived  that  it  was 
hopelefs  to  exped:  it  to  be  extricated,  and 
that  if  their  return  was  long  delayed  winter 
mio;ht  ao;ain  overtake  them.  He  had  had 
the  forefight  to  secure   the  boats  on  lliore, 


51 


and  in  two  of  the  ftouteft  of  thefe,  fitted 
out  as  well  as  mio;ht  be  from  the  means 
his  Fly-boat  gave  him,  he  determined  to 
embark,  trufting  to  reach  Norway. 

It  was  not  till  the  15th  of  June  that  he 
could  effed:  even  this.  The  two  boats  were 
fortunate  in  being  able  to  keep  company. 
After  nearly  three  months  of  dreadful  and 
ceafelefs  hardfhips,  in  which  the  seamen 
were  supported,  cheered,  and  guided  by  the 
kindnefs,  the  spirit,  energy,  and  refources  of 
their  young  captain,  they  reached  a  harbour 
on  the  coalT:  of  Norway.  On  entering  it 
they  defcried  a  sail ;  but  their  joy  was  re- 
doubled when  they  made  out  the  three- 
coloured  flag,  and  the  flout  Fly-boat  of 
their  comrade  Corneliuson.  He  had  win- 
tered with  some  comfort  in  Norway,  and 
was  now  returning,  as  soon  as  the  ice  would 
permit,  to  Holland,  there  to  report  the  dif- 


52 


covcry  of  S|)it/hcrgL'n,  and  his  opinion  of 
the  improbability  of  any  Arctic  pafTiigc  to 
the  Indies. 

It    need    not    be    told     ]]()\v    joyous    this 
meeting    was.       They   returned    with    Cor- 
neliiison    in   his  lliij^   to    Amllerdam.      They 
were  all  received  as  the  li\  ing  from  the  dead  ; 
with  a  warmer  greeting  than  if  they  had  re- 
turned   vidors    from    a    sea-fight    with    the 
Spaniili  navy,  or  laden  with   ingots  taken  in 
galleons  from  Mexico.      They  were  followed 
with    huzzas,    feailed    by  the    l^urgomaflers, 
received  by  the  city   with   illuminations  and 
lliouts,  and  every   man   among   them   was  a 
''  lion  "   in   his  own   circle.       All    of    them 
were  promoted,  employed,  or  penfioned,  ac- 
cording to  their  several  deferts. 

Van  Heemfkirk  himfelf  was  promoted  to 
the  naval  service.  From  a  bold  Arctic  ex- 
plorer he  became  a  great  naval   commander. 


S3 

Ten    years   after,   as    Vice  Admiral    of  the 

United    Provinces,    he    gained    the    famous 

victory    in    the    Bay   of   Gibraltar,  over  the 

Spanifh     fleet    of    more    than     double     his 

force,  moored  near  fhore  and  supported  by 

the  batteries  of  the  town  and  caftle.      In  this 

adion  he  anticipated  by  almoft  two  centuries 

Nelfon's  brilliant  naval  tadics,  by  breaking 

the    enemy's    line    and    doubling    his    fhips 

infide  and  outfide  on  the  van  of  the  Spanifh 

fleet.        Here     he    was     killed  in    the  very 

moment  of  vidlory — a    vidlory  deciflve    of 

his  country's  independence.      He  fell  in  the 

meridian  of  his  life  and  talent,  in  the  full 

triumph  of  his  genius  and  patriotism. 

This  vidtory  in  the  Bay  of  Gibraltar,  was 
at  once  his  Aboukir  and  his  Trafalgar  to 
this  Nelfon  of  Holland. 

It  might  not  be  (as  Shakespeare  says)  "  to 
conlider  it  too  curioufly,"  were  we  to  trace, 


5+ 

Hl'P  by  ftcp,  how,  in  the  mylkrious  order  of 
ProvitlciKc,  the  chLcrrul  and    innocent  cele- 
bration   of    a     popiihir   and    trailitional    old 
feftival    tended    to    prefervc    ami    |)repare    a 
hero  to  serve   his   country   in    the    a|)pointed 
hour    of    his    glorious     delHny  ;      how    the 
efpeeial  value  of  his  services  was  proved    by 
an   originality  of  tadiical   genius   such  as  he 
alone  polTefled  in  that  age,  and   such  as  was 
not  attain  witneffed  on  the  ocean   till   nearly 
two  hundred  years  had  pail: ;   how  the  victory 
so  achieved   preferved   and  secured  the    civil 
and    relieious    liberties    of    Holland;    how 
thofe  liberties,  soon  and  powerfully  and  long 
influenced    the    deftinies    of   Europe;    how 
from   the  effeds  so  produced  there  has   been 
spread  a  wide  and  lafting  influence  over  the 
whole  civilized  world,   promoting    the    beft 
interefis  of  the  human  race. 

This    rude    Twelfth-night    fefl:ivity  of   a 


55 

party  of  sailors  on  a  barren  ifland  in  1597, 
might  thus  appear  to  be  not  an  unimportant 
link  in  that  mighty  and  myfterious  chain  of 
secondary  caufes  and  effects,  which  not  only 
produced  the  foundation,  profperity,  and 
commercial  greatnefs  of  our  own  New  York, 
but  the  vaft  and  grand  refults  of  the  settle- 
ment of  our  whole  land  by  enlightened 
races,  fitted  for  the  rights  and  duties  of  self- 
government,  and  of  the  Independence  and 
the  liberties  of  these  United  States. 

But  this  is  not  the  place  for  so  high  an 
argument  requiring  at  each  ffep  the  guidance 
of  a  reverent  and  cautious  philosophy.  Let 
us  pafs  on  to  another,  and  to  us  very  ftriking 
afped:  of  this  Nova  Zembla  Feafl:  of  the 
Three  Kings. 

Looking  at  dates,  names,  and  some  collat- 
eral circumftances,  it  is  by  no  means  out 
of  the   range    of  probability,    that    amongfl: 


56 

that  brilliant  throng  who  partook  of  the 
Century  Club  Twelfth-Night  rY-fli\'al  of 
1858,  may  have  been  some  of  the  great- 
grandsons,  and  great-great-granddaughters, 
in  the  ninth  or  tenth  generation  of  that 
noble-hearted  Captain  and  erew  who  in  the 
midfl:  of  an  Ar6tie  winter's  night,  in  whieh 
the  sun  was  not  to  rife  before  seven  long 
weeks  more  had  expired,  on  a  barren  ifland 
at  the  75th  degree  of  North  Latitude,  cele- 
brated with  hearty  enjoyment,  the  same  fes- 
tival in  1597. 

It  is  quite  certain  that  many  of  that  gay 
Twelfth-Night  affembly  of  1858,  in  New 
York,  were  defcendants  of  the  countrymen 
and  companions  of  Van  Heemfkirk  and  his 
Ardic  explorers,  of  thofe  who  fitted  out  their 
expedition,  or  welcomed  their  return. 

How  pidurefque,  how  poetical,  how 
touching  is  the  contrafl:  between  the  bare  and 


S7 

low  interior  of  that  Nova  Zemblan  hut, 
feebly  lighted  with  two  or  three  glimmering 
lamps  fed  with  bear's-grease,  and  noify  with 
the  rude  jollity  of  some  twenty  brave  and 
honefl:  sailors,  and  perhaps  one  or  two  as 
brave  and  ftout-hearted  "  vrouween  "  ;  and 
that  spacious  and  lofty  hall  in  our  New  Am- 
fterdam,  as  it  was  seen  on  the  6th  of  Jan- 
uary 18585  blazing  with  lights,  refounding 
with  mufic,  song,  and  laughter,  fragrant  as 
June  with  frefh-gathered  flowers,  rich  with 
works  of  art,  gay  with  the  elegant  splendours 
of  modern  fafhion  quaintly  mixed  with  the 
theatrical  pomp  of  mediaeval  coftume,  and 
the  whole  scene  bright  and  radiant  with 
youth  and  merriment  and  grace  and  beauty. 
However  ftrong  a  contrafi-  thefe  two  scenes 
may  fhow  in  their  external  afped:,  yet  there 
was  a  common  element  pervading  both,  and 
impreffing  upon  both  its  own  character.      It 


5« 

was  this,  that  the  hilarities  and  cnjoviiK-nts  of 
each  were  not  entirely  ol  the  moment  and 
the  individual  ncjr  lor  the  moment  and  the 
individual  ;  hut  that  thefe  were  elevated  and 
purified  by  ennobling  or  endearing  alTocia- 
tions,  that  the\'  were  connected  in  the  mind 
with  the  paii  or  the  diftant,  and  thus  in  some 
degree  tranijK)rted  beyond  the  bounds  ol 
*'  this  ignorant  i^refent." 

The  Century  Club  had  obser\ed  with  re- 
gret that  the  ancient  fellival,  with  its  p(K-tical 
and  reverential  airociations,  and  its  pleafant 
and  pidliirefqiie  iifages,  which  had  for  ages 
contributed  every  year  to  the  innocent  enjoy- 
ments and  social  affedtions  of  the  Dutch, 
Englifh,  French,  Irilli,  and  German  anceftors 
of  our  cofmopolitan  New  York,  was  falling 
into  difufe  in  this  overworked  and  care-worn 
city.  They  therefore  felt  that  it  belonged 
to  their  proper    vocation,   to   endeavour    to 


59 

revive  the  love  and  honour  due  to  this  joy- 
ous Inftitution. 

How  tar  thev  have  succeeded  in  this  at- 
tempt  it  is  for  their  kind  and  fair  guefts  to 
judge,  and  their  memory  of  the  evening  and 
their  judgment  upon  it,  may  be  aided  by 
this  little  volume. 

For  themselves  they  cherifh  the  lively 
hope  that  the  antique  pageantry  and  fan- 
tartic  ceremonial,  mixed  with  more  ufual 
social  joys,  as  presented  at  the  Century  Club's 
Twelfth-Night  of  1858,  will  by  no  means. 

Like  unfubftantial  pageants  faded. 
Leave  not  a  rack  behind  ; 

But  will    rather,  as   the   great    Poet   himself 
teaches, 

"  Witness  more  than  Fancy's  images. 
And  tend  to  something  of  great  conflancy." 

Ccnturn  UoomS,  Shrove  Tuesday, 
February  i6,  1858. 


6o 


^*OtCG. 


Wines   of  Spain.     P.   23. 

Some  of  our  readers,  cfpccially  our  fair  readers,  may  be  fo  little  flcillcd 
in  the  more  recondite  myfteries  of  the  winc-prcfs  as  to  require  fomc  further 
explanation  of  the  allusions  on  this  paffage.  The  "wines  of  La  Mancha" — 
Don  Quixotte's  native  province,  as  every  one  knows — here  specially  dcfig- 
nated,  are  grown  on  a  rocky  foil,  and  one  of  the  beft  growths,  is  indicated 
by  the  name  of  \''al  de  Pcfias,  or  "  Valley  of  Stones."  It  was  glowingly 
eulogized  by  Sancho  Panza,  for  whofe  unerring  inftinftive  judgment  on 
wines  Cervantes  ftrongly  vouches.  It  is  only  of  late  years  that  the  fame 
of  this  wine  has  fpread  beyond  the  Caftilles,  but  fmce  it  has  become  known 
in  England  and  this  country,  Sancho's  judgment  has  been  affirmed  by  judges 
from  whofe  decifion  there  can  be  no  appeal. 

The  kind  of  Sherry  or  Xcres  wine,  particularly  referred  to,  is  the  delicate 
pale  wine,  of  a  flavor  and  fmcU  refembling  thofc  of  the  camomile,  and  thence 
called  Manzanilla,  that  being  the  Spanifh  word  for  camomile.  It  receives 
fpecial  honor  in  this  place,  not  merely  for  its  excellence  as  a  wine,  but  be- 
caufe  it  is  more  efteemed  by  the  natives  than  any  of  the  wines  of  Andalu- 
fia  (the  Sherry-growing  province),  and  has  been  clofely  aflbciated  with  the 
hiftory,  literature,  and  arts  of  Spain  fmce  the  fifteenth  century. 


6i 


Van  Heemskirk.     P.  40. 

The  very  brief  account  of  Van  Hcemfkirk's  Arftic  adventures  here 
given  is  chiefly  from  Bor's  great  hiftory.  But  they  are  also  fully  re- 
corded, from  the  journal  of  his  pilot  Barentfen,  by  De  Veer  in  Latin  and 
alfo  in  antiquated  French  of  that  day.  This  work  has  been  condenfed  and 
infcrted  by  Prevoft,  in  his  "  Hiftoirc  Generale  de  Voyages,"  in  more  modern 
French. 

Van  Heemfldrk's  great  naval  viftory  is  related  by  fevcral  original 
authorities,  by  Metteren  and  others  in  Dutch,  by  Grotius  and  by  De  Thou 
in  claffical  Latin,  and  in  French  by  Sully.  The  latter,  while  he  relates  the 
aftion  itfclf  more  briefly,  points  out  efpecially,  as  was  natural  from  his 
pofition  as  a  llatcfman,  the  efFcd  of  this  viftory  in  forcing  Spain  to  the  treaty 
which  acknowledged  and  fccured  the  Independence  of  the  Seven  United 
Provinces.  The  whole  Hfe  and  achievements  of  Van  Heemlkirk  are  ad- 
mirably fummed  up,  with  Tacitus-like  concifenefs,  in  the  Latin  epitaph  on 
his  monument  in  Amfterdam  erefted  by  the  States-General. 

But  it  is  a  curious  faft  that  whilft  all  writers,  whether  contemporary  or 
more  modern,  who  have  related  this  naval  achievement,  agree  in  the  accounts 
of  the  greatnefs  of  the  viftory  and  of  its  efFefls,  and  of  the  perfonal  heroilm 
of  the  commanding  admiral,  they  attribute  the  refult  mainly  to  that  and  the 
valor  and  fkill  of  his  officers  and  men,  without  apparently  perceiving  how 
much  was  due  to  the  originality  and  ability  of  his  naval  taftics.  Nautical 
men  muft  have  underftood  it  at  the  time,  but  it  required  the  fplendid  com- 
mentary of  Nelfon's  great  vidlories,  nearly  two  hundred  years  after,  and  the 


62 

difcuflions  and  explanations  to  which  they  gave  rife,  to  prove  the  remarkable 
merit  of  Van  Hccmfkirk.  This  is,  perhaps,  the  firft  time  in  which  they 
have  been  diftindly  pointed  out  in  tliis  light,  unlefs  it  may  have  been  done 
by  fome  quite  modern  Dutch  author. 

Nelfon's  viftory  of  the  Nile,  in  the  Bay  of  Aboukir,  was  a  pcrfcd  and 
remarkable  parallel  with  the  vidlory  of  1607  in  the  Bay  of  Gibraltar,  in  its 
tadlics  and  incidents.  In  both,  the  vanquifhcd  fleet,  fuperior  in  force,  was 
drawn  up  and  attacked  in  the  fame  manner,  and  in  both  the  admiral's  fhip 
of  the  defeated,  greatly  fuperior  in  force  to  any  of  the  afTailants — (the  Span- 
ifli  admiral  boafted  that  his  fliip  was  a  match  for  the  whole  aflailing  fleet) — 
was  blown  up  and  the  admiral  killed.  Again,  Van  Hccmfkirk's  death  in 
the  viftory  of  the  Bay  of  Gibraltar  Angularly  refcmbled  that  of  Nelfon  in 
his  laft  vi£lory  of  Trafalgar.  That  battle  was  fought  and  won  on  another 
application  of  the  fame  principle  of  nautical  taftics  which  feems  alfo  to  have 
been  ufed  by  Van  Hccmfkirk  on  a  change  in  the  Spanifli  line.  Both  ad- 
mirals lived  long  enough  to  be  aflured  of  viftory,  and  to  see  it  won 
under  their  orders  by  their  feconds  in  command  after  thcmfelves  receiving 
the  fatal  wound. 

Van  Heemfkirk  was  a  great,  a  virtuous,  and  an  admirable  man ;  his 
perfonal  charader  feems  quite  exempt  from  thofe  weaknefTes  which  dimmed 
the  luftre  of  Nelfon's  fame.  The  Angle  fault  which  his  contemporaries  rather 
infmuate  than  charge,  is  too  large  a  portion  of  that  "  laft  infirmity  of  noble 
minds,"  ambition  and  the  defire  of  glory. 

Hiftory  has  not  yet  done  full  juftice  to  Van  Heemlkirk ;  but  it  is  doubtlefs 
referved  to  be  amply  paid  him  by  the  fame  hand  which  has  fo  faithfully  and 
fo  glowingly  depifted  the  deeds  and  charader  of  William  the  Silent— the 
Wafhington  of  the  fixteenth  century— by  our  countryman,  the  hiftorian 
Motley. 


PROCLAMATION 

and 
ORDINANCE. 


(Dac0  I    (D}]C0  !    ®iic0  ! 


tPc.  tl)c  Ccntttig,  , 

By  Patent  of  wit  and  art,  from  the  Supreme 
Power  of  the  State  of  New  York,  Cenfor 
of  Tafte,  Critic  of  the  Times,  and  Fofterer 
of  Letters,  in  the  Ifland  of  Manatta, 

Forafmuch  as  the  people  of  our  realm 
are  burdened  with  affairs,  and  much  worn 
with  toil  for  gain,  whereby  their  fpirits  lofe 
all  cheer,  and  their  nimble  wits  grow  dull, 
and  fmce  a  certain  peftilent  invention, 
yclept  Bufmefs,  doth  fteal  their  hearts  and 
lure  their  brains  away  from  all  blithefomenefs ; 

We   being,   alfo,  aware  of  the  wife  ufage 


66 

of  our  forcrathcrs,  Hill  upholclcn  in  their 
Iflaiul  of  Hritain,  to  lii^htLn  care  by  ohlerv- 
aiKL,  w  ith  well-orciered  nurriiiient,  of  niaiiy 
feiHvals,  faints'  days,  aiul  holidays,  whereof 
miieh  good  cometh  to  the  people, 

Haye  deemed  it  fitting  to  ordain,  that  in 
eaeh  year  there  he  celebrated  at  our  Palace, 
a  folemn  Rcyel,  with  meet  attendance  of 
mufic,  mafques,  and  banqueting,  whereiinto 
fliall  be  bidden  the  ladies  of  our  realm,  whofe 
fweet  influence  may  aid  in  uplifting  our  sub- 
jects from  the  low^  and  pitiable  eflate  of  men 
of  bulmefs. 

And  for  the  more  feemly  conduct  of  what 
gamefome  devices  may  then  be  prefented, 
we  do  command  to  be  recorded  in  our  Ar- 
chives as  a  guide  and  pattern,  this  order 
w4iich  followeth  of  a  quaint  di\ertifement 
lately  performed  before  us,  upon  the  twelfth 
night  of  this  prefent  year. 


67 


The  Great  Hall  prefenting  a  Throne  Room, 
by  erection  upon  a  dais  of  two  chairs  of 
State,  and  by  lit  difpofal  over  the  arras  of 
feftoons  and  pictures  meet  for  the  eyes  of 
princes,  and  the  banqueting  halls  being  hung 
with  antlers,  armor,  and  the  fkins  of  hearts, 
and  decked  with  holly  and  seafonable  greens, 
and  with  torches  in  colors,  surrounding  a 
tranfparerbcy  wherein  is  depicted  the  ancient 
ceremonial  of  the  twelfth  night. 

The  Prefident  being  seated  upon  a  chair 
of  ftate,  there  enters  to  him,  attended  by 
folemn  mufic, 

(Tlic  proccesiott. 

Led  by  the  Herald,  with  tabard  and  trum- 
pet, whom  follows  the  Hunter,  his  head  and 


68 

shoulders  supporting  the  liorns  and  hide  of 
a  flag.  Next,  a  mighty  J^oar's  head,  borne 
aloft  upon  a  iiher  trenelier  by  servitors  at- 
tired in  riiflet  drefses  of  the  chafe.  Behind 
thefe  come  ioiir  chorilkrs,  of  tender  years, 
clothed  in  flowing  robes  of  white.  I  hen 
follow  the  Jefters,  two,  in  particolored  suits, 
orange  and  crimson,  bravely  decked  with 
ribbons  and  flafhes,  wearing  mock  crowns, 
and  bearing  flaves.  After  thefe,  fix  pages, 
pretty  youths  in  gay  and  seemly  habits,  all 
diverfe,  bearing  the  velvet  banner  of  the 
Century,  and,  on  cufhions,  the  sceptre  and 
crowns.  Next  in  order  paces  the  Chan- 
cellor, with  sad-colored  ample  garments,  his 
gray  locks  covered  by  a  crimfon  fkuU  cap. 
Then  four  maids  of  honor,  wearing  snowy 
ftoles,  with  ivy  chaplets,  attended  by  as  many 
lords  in  w^aiting,  plumed  and  splendidly 
arrayed. 


69 

Thus  difpofed,  the  proceflion  traverfes  the 
Hall,  when  the  Herald,  ftanding  before  the 
Prefident,  makes  proclamation  that  the  elec- 
tion will  begin.  Whereupon,  at  the  lower 
end  of  the  Hall  the  Great  Cake  is  cut,  and 
diftributed,  the  chorifters  meanwhile  fmging 
in  parts,  to  a  quaint  and  well  conceited  air 
words  as  follow  : 


I. 


Now  the  myftic  rite  beginning. 
Here  the  facred  board  prepare, 
Crown  and  sceptre  wait  the  winning. 
Who  fhall  prove  the  royal  pair  ? 
From  amidft  the  congregation 
Shall  a  King  and  Queen  arife, 
Try  the  venture,  rank  and  ftation 
Are  for  thofe  who  gain  the  prize. 


yo 

II. 

Now  upon  the  royal  dais 
Sec  our  Lord  and  Lady  wait, 
Now  let  lord  and  lady  pay  his 
Coiirtcfy  to  the  crown  and  ihitc. 
So  the  inftallation  ended, 
Let  the  Herald's  voice  proclaim 
By  no  other  queen  tranlcended 
Is  our  gracious  royal  dame. 


The  Kino;  and  Queen,  havino;  now  been 
chofen  by  their  fortunate  finding  of  the 
rings,  approach  the  Prefident,  who  rifes, 
and  with  grave  words  of  welcome  receives 
them. 

This  done,  the  King  being  robed  by  his 
lords  in  waiting,  while  the  maids  of  honor 


71 

perform  the  same  office  for  the  Queen,  af- 
cends  his  throne.  The  Jefters  being  seated 
upon  the  fteps,  and  the  court  ranged  in  a 
half  circle  about,  the  King  places  the  crown 
upon  his  head,  and  crowns  alfo  the  Queen. 
Upon  this,  the  Herald  making  lignal,  there 
goes  up  a  mighty  fhout  of  "Vive  le  Roi," 
which  being  quieted,  the  King  thus  speaks : 

We  welcome  our  loyal  subjects  to  thefe 
our  Feftive  Halls,  and  greet  moft  gracioufly 
this  goodly  company. 

This  is  not  ''  Twelfth  Night,  or  what  you 
will,"  but  Twelfth  Night,  or  what  we  will. 
Be  it  therefore  proclaimed  to  all  the  leffer 
potentates  of  earth  that  they  have  our  beft 
wifhes,  and  full  permiffion  to  reign  or  fhine. 

And  now,  in  order  that  our  royal  spoufe 
and  you  our  faithful  people  may  know  the 
grandeur  of  our  empire,  we  bid  you  liften, 


72 

while  our  venerable   Chancellor   makes  full 
report  of  the  condition  of  our  realm. 

Thereafter  the  Chancellor  with  serious 
accent  readeth  his 

Ucpovt- 

May  it  pleafe  your  Majefly, 

I  congratulate  your  Majefty  on  the  aufpi- 
cious  event  which  has  raifed  your  Majefty  to 
the  throne  of  your  royal  anceftors. 

The  Cakes  upon  which  your  Majefty's 
throne  is  founded,  afford  sure  guarantee  that 
it  can  never  crumble  into  ruin. 

I  congratulate  your  Majefty  upon  the 
general  profperity  of  the  realm. 

It  is  true,  a  smart  commercial  crifis  has 
swept  over  the  nation,  but  it  has  done  no 
injury  to  thofe  whofe  property  was  in  gold 
and  filver. 


73 

Notwithftanding  the  crilis,  thefe  precious 
metals  retain  their  ufual  value  throughout 
your  Majefty's  dominions. 

The  receipts  into  your  Majefty's  exchequer 
during  the  paft  year  were  three  hundred  and 
fixty-one  millions,  and  the  expenditures  dur- 
ing the  same  period  were  fix  hundred  and 
ninety-two  millions,  leaving  the  small  defi- 
ciency of  three  hundred  and  thirty  millions 
to  be  added  to  the  national  debt,  which  sum 
is  but  a  flight  addition  to  the  eafy  burden 
of  your  Majefty's  moft  patient  and  loyal  sub- 
jects. 

The  caufes  of  this  increafe  in  the  nation- 
al debt  are  threefold. 

First.  The  enormous  importation  of 
crinolines  for  the  adornment  of  the  ladies 
of  her  Majefty's  houfehold. 

Second.      The  vast    importation    of    for- 


74- 

eign  wines  and  tobacco,  and  of  the  works 
of  the  old  mailers,  by  your  Majefty's  loyal 
male  siibjcds. 

Third.  The  expenditures  for  the  build- 
ing and  furniOiing  of  the  new  Royal 
Palace,  erected  for  your  Majefty's  ufe  and 
convenience,  and  which  \vl  ha\'e  the  lujnor 
of  inaugurating  on  this  glorious  and  aufpi- 
cious  occafion. 

With  regard  to  the  firft  of  thefe  caufes, 
it  is  humbly  recommended  to  your  Majefty 
to  caufe  a  law  to  be  pafled,  limiting  the  ex- 
tenfion  of  the  crinoline  to  a  circumference 
of  fifty  yards,  and  also  a  sumptuary  law, 
restricting  your  subjects  to  ten  bottles  of 
wine  per  diem,  always  excepting  from  its 
pains  and  penalties  your  Majefty 's  moft  faith- 
ful and  devoted  Lord  Chancellor,  who  fhall 
be   unreftricted  in  the    number  he   may  re- 


1^ 

quire,  in  which  to  drink  the  health  of  your 
moft  excellent  Majefty. 

The  expenditures  on  the  new  Royal 
Palace,  erected  under  the  supervifion  of  your 
Majefty 's  Board  of  Commiffioners,  conftsting 
of 

The  Lord  Harry  Pierson, 
Earl  Rossiter, 

and  your  Majefty 's  renowned  architect, 

Sir  Joseph  Wells, 

have  exceeded  the  eftimates  by  the  trifling 
sum  of  thirty  millions. 

This  sum  has  been  adequately  provided 
for  by  being  merged  into  the  national  debt, 
which  has  given  great  satisfaction  to  your 
Majefty 's  subjects,  as  it  removes  the  burden 
from  themfelves  to  their  defcendants. 

I   am   proud  to   be  able  to  congratulate 


76 

your  Majcfly  on  the  happy  progrcfs  which 
which  has  been  made  throughout  your  realm 
in  Learning,  Science,  and  the  Arts. 

By  your  Majefty's  command,  the  higheit: 
dignities  of  the  ftate  have  been  conferred  on 
the  following  named  subjedts,  lor  their  emi- 
nent services  to  the  caufe  of  Literature. 

Irving, 
Bryant, 
Bancroft, 
Longfellow, 

Verplanck,  and 
Bayard  Taylor, 

and  alfo  upon  thefe,  for  their  equally  emi- 
nent services  in  the  Fine  Arts. 

DURAND, 

Kensett, 
Gignoux, 
Lang, 


77 

Hicks, 

Gray,  and  others. 

Thefe  gifted  men  add  glory  and  dignity  to 
your  reign,  and  a  luftre  to  the  age  in  which 
they  live. 

The  adminiftration  of  Juftice  and  the 
Law  is  moft  perfed:  throughout  yourMajefty's 
Kingdom.  Crime  is  now  unknown,  and 
difhonefty  meets  its  rapid  and  appropriate 
reward. 

We  commend  to  your  Majefty's  gracious 
confideration,  the  propriety  of  raifing  to  the 
peerage 

My  Lord  Chief  Justice  Duer, 

My  Lords  Daly, 

bosworth, 

Slosson,  and 

Woodruff, 


78 

with  a  pcnfion  for  ten  lives  of  thirty  thou- 
fmd  a  year,  for  their  diftinguilhed  services 
in  the  adminiftration  of  your  Majefty's  hiws. 

The  great  syftem  of  internal  improvements, 
projected  by  your  Majefty's  command,  has 
been  succefsfully  completed.  The  Railroad 
which  unites  your  Majefty's  caftle  of  Tillie- 
tudlem  with  the  port  of  Communipaw  is  in 
excellent  condition. 

Its  coft  has  been  greater  than  was  antici- 
pated, but  the  deficiency  has  been  met  by 
an  iffue  of  third  mortgage  bonds  which 
were  negotiated  on  very  favorable  terms. 
The  firft  and  second  mortgage  bonds  will 
not  be  iffued  until  an  anticipated  contin- 
gency occurs.  The  receipts  during  the 
paft  year  fell  fhort  of  the  expenditures  by 
the  small  sum  of  twenty  millions,  but  with 
the  referve  of  unnegotiated  bonds  on  hand. 


79 

that  sum  will  be  amply  provided  for,  with- 
out any  further  aid  from  your  Majefty's 
Royal  Exchequer. 

We  congratulate  your  Majefty  that  you  are 
at  peace  with  all  the  world. 

The  trifling  difference  of  opinion  which 
exifl:s  between  your  Majefty 's  government 
and  the  powerful  and  pugnacious  Republic 
of  the  United  States  has  been  left  to  the  ar- 
bitration of  your  Majefty'smoft  faithful  allies, 
Her  Majefty  the  Queen  of  England,  and 
His  Imperial  Majefty  Napoleon  3d,  and  will 
doubtlefs  be  settled  to  the  entire  satisfaction 
of  your  Majefty. 

We  have  aflurances  from  your  Royal  allies 
of  the  moft  friendly  difpofttion,  and  it  will 
be  the  duty  and  the  pleafure  of  your  Majefty 's 
Minifters  to  promote  the  good  feeling  which 
now  exifts. 


8o 

Your  Majcfty's  royal  court  is  surround- 
ed by  the  Ambafladors  of  thefe  great  na- 
tions. 

Their  prefence  adds  dignity  to  the  augufl 
ceremony  of  your  coronation.  We  welcome 
them  with  the  cordiality  which  is  due  to 
their  diftinguifhed  rank. 

The  fair  lady  who  fhares  your  Majefty's 
throne,  and  whofe  beauty  and  accomplifh- 
ments  have  won  the  hearts  and  the  affections 
of  all  your  Majefty's  subjedls,  will  receive  the 
homage  of  our  undivided  loyalty. 

The  noble  retinue  of  brilliant  and  ac- 
complifhed  ladies  who  surround  the  throne, 
will  continue  to  give  splendor  and  magnifi- 
cence to  her  court. 

Long  may  your  Majefties  reign  in  the  af- 
fections  of  a   loyal    people,  and   may   your 


8i 

throne  remain,  as  it  now  is,  the  pride  and 
glory  of  the  Century  in  which  we  Hve. 

(Boh  Bavt  tl]c  (Dttccn ! 

To  whom  the  King  refponds, 

Well  haft  thou  spoken,  worthy  Chancellor, 
and  well  thy  duty  done.  Our  cofFers  over- 
flow with  gold;  let  therefore  some  millions 
be  devoted  to  our  royal  confort's  private  purse, 
ten  millions,  say,  for  pins ;  thirty  millions 
for  her  laces ;  and  thrice  thirty  millions  for 
her  robes  of  ftate. 

We  will  remember  thee,  good  Chancellor. 
Perchance  haft  not  forgot  thyfelf !  So  good 
an  office  fhould  be  elective  !  there  muft  be 
many  perquisites. 

But  where's  our  Laureate  Bard,  to  give 
us  joy  in  song  on  this  aufpicious  night? 


82 

Hereon  the   Herald  with  sound  of  trum- 
pet summons  tlie  Poet. 

Come  forth,  O  Poet,  at  the  King's  com- 
mand ! 

This  perfonage  faihng  to  appear,  the  Jes- 
ters irreverently  make  reply. 


Dialoc\uc. 


First  Jester. 

Second  Jester. 
First  " 
Second  " 
First  " 
Second  " 
First  " 
Second  " 
King. 

First  Jester. 
Second 
First 
Second 
First 
Second 


My  Licgc,  there's  not  a  finglc  one  on  hand. 

Your  Highnefs'  dearth  of  Poets  is  alarming. 

There's  Cozzens,  Curtis,  Mitchel,  wived  and  farming, 

Taylor  is  anglicifing  Saxon  ladies. 

And  Bryant  spurring  Pegafus  at  Cadiz. 

Ward's  nought  to  do,  and  Butler  nought  to  wear. 

And  all  the  mufes  fall  into  dis-pair. 

Beaumont  and  Fletcher-like,  let's  make  a  Poet ! 

Your  Majefty  confents? 

Ay! 

Brother,  go  it. 
Defcend  ye  Mufes ! 

Five  a  piece ! 

Oh  !  nine! 
Our  Oueen's  the  tenth. 

And  more  than  all  divine. 


83 


i-iRST  Jester. 

Second 

(C 

Both. 

First  Jester. 

Second 

tt 

First 

t( 

Second 

c< 

First 

i{ 

Second 

i( 

First 

(C 

Second 

it 

First 

iC 

Second 

(< 

First 

(( 

\ 

Second 

i( 

First 

a 

Second 

(< 

First 

<c 

Second 

i< 

First 

t( 

Second 

(< 

First 


King. 

First  Jester, 
Second      " 


For  her  we've  wandered  late  your  kingdom  o'er. 

From  Burnham  wood  to  Coney  Ifland  ftiore. 

And  at  her  feet  Manatta's  tribute  pour. 

Alack  !  what  worlds  of  mifery  I  saw  ! 

And  I,  what  oyfters  at  Communipaw  ! 

What  hunger  mobs,  by  confcript  fathers  led ! 

And  I,  the  bulls  and  bears  a  raifm'  Ned. 

Mine  eyes  have  wept  at  barefoot  children's  pleadings. 

I've  blubbered  over  Fanny  Kemble's  readings. 

Whole  blocks  of  filent  factories  I've  seen. 

And  I,  wide  acres  swept  by  crinoline. 

I  saw  a  Mayor's  neft,  filled  with  eggs  of  Wood ! 

Old  Tieman  broke  thofe  yolks ! 

One  Schell  held  good, 

I  saw  a  Court,  fleered  by  a  caudal  Finn ! 
Why,  that's  the  Judge  that  didn't  quite  get  in ! 

I  heard  the  crafh  of  fortunes ! 

Paper-founded ! 

While  notes  of  proteft  through  the  reahn  refounded. 
I  saw  ten  thoufand  fools! 

All  drefled  as  we  ? 
Nay !  they're  the  real  fools ;  we  only  seem  to  be. 
We  kneel  to  you,  great  King,  to  right  thefe  wrongs. 
Turn  all  thefe  tears  to  smiles,  thefe  fighs  to  songs. 
Or,  if  our  King  will  truft  his  faithful  Jefters, 
We'll  mix  a  charm  fhall  heal  the  kingdom's  fellers. 
Your  Majefty  confents  ? 

It  is  my  wifh. 

Bring  forth  the  caldron  ! 

Ho  !  a  chafing  difh  ! 


84 


[  The  Incantation  followcth,  over  and  about  the  chafing-difli.  ] 


First  Jester. 
Second      " 
First         " 
Second      " 
Both. 


First  Jester. 
Second      " 
First         " 
Both. 


Second 

First 

Second 

First 

Second 

First 

Second 

First 

Both. 


Second  Jester. 
First         " 
Second       " 
First         " 


I'll  gather  in  the  flircds  and  patchei, 
I'll  light  the  flame  of  brimrtone  matches. 
Thrice  the  City  bells  have  toll'd  ! 
And  thrice  an  alderman  been  sold  ! 
Mingle  Folly,  Want,  and  Crime, 
Harper  cries,  'tis  time,  'tis  time. 
Round  about  the  caldron  go, 
In  the  vilcft  humbugs  throw. 
By  the  pricking  of  my  thumbs. 
Something  wicked  this  way  comes ! 
A  City  contraft. 

Swindling  got. 
Boil  thou  firft  i'  the  charmed  pot. 
Double,  double,  joint-flock  bubble. 
Railroad  smafli,  and  specie  trouble  ! 
Fill  it  high  with  auction  sherr)-. 
Pitch  in — 

Law's  new  one  cent  ferry. 
A  merchant-prince's  peddled  ftock. 
The  rus  in  urbe  pavement  rock. 
Party  pledges ! 

Tweedledee ! 
Broken  fkuUs  from  Tammany  ! 
Double,  double,  joint-flock  bubble. 
Railroad  smafh,  and  specie  trouble  ! 
The  Bar's  good  manners. 

Kanfas  thunder. 
Fighting  parfons. 

Throw  'em  under. 


85 


Second  Ji 

ester 

First 

(I 

Second 

a 

First 

« 

Second 

a 

First 

({ 

Second 

c< 

First 

(t 

Both. 

First  Je; 

;ter. 

Second 

<t 

First 

te 

Second 

(< 

First 

(. 

Second 

c( 

First 

(( 

Both. 

First  Jester. 

Second 

<( 

Both. 

Stewart's  half  a  million  offer. 
Stealings  from  the  city  coffer. 
The  laft  new  hugger-mugger  dance 
A  native  comedy. — 

From  France ! 
Huge  hoop,  and  Lilliputian  bonnet. 
The  Atlantic  Magazine's  laft  sonnet ; 
Governor  Walker's  proclamations. 
General  Walker's  new-made  nations. 
Double,  double,  joint-ftock  bubble. 
Railroad  smafh,  and  specie  trouble. 
I  hurl  in  new  glafs  ballot  boxes, 
I,  fifty  thoufand  railroad  proxies, 
I,  an  eledlive  Judge's  ermine, 
I,  aldermen,  and  such  small  vermin. 
Policeman's  eye. 

And  Nandy  Wood, 
Enough,  the  mixture's  flab  and  good. 
Round  the  caldron  thrice  we've  gone. 
In  the  trafh  and  humbugs  thrown. 
Let  them  simmer,  hifs,  and  boil. 
The  charm  is  ended,  and  our  toil. 
So  our  great  king  may  kindly  say. 
Our  duties  did  his  welcome  pay. 


Thus  addrefled,  and  being  well  contented 
or  well  wearied  therewith,  the  King  con- 
tinueth. 


86 

Let  now  the  imperial  jointrels  of  this 
happy  ftate  receive  our  homage,  and  to  our 
people  be  more  clofely  bound,  by  wearing 
from  this  time  forth  the  order  of  our  Cen- 
tury, wherewith  we  now  inveft  her. 

Thus  speaking,  he  difpofes  about  the  neck 
of  the  Oueen  the  p;olden  order  (;f  the  Cen- 
tury,  and  thereon  thus  to  his  subjects : 

Good  friends  now  join  us  in  our  banquet 
halls.  My  lords  and  ladies,  follow  us,  while 
mulic's  harmonious  sounds  attend. 

Which  royal  command  being  uttered,  the 
Herald  proclaims  the  banquet,  and  precedes 
the  King  and  Oueen,  after  whom  follows 
the  proceffion,  grouped  in  due  order  as  be- 
fore, marching  solemnly  thrice  around  the 
Hall,  while  all  voices  chant  as  followeth,  the 


S7 

Hail  to  our  gracious  Queen, 
Well  has  she  chofen  been. 

Hail  gracious  Queen  ! 
Freely  we  own  thy  sway. 
Gladly  we  all  obey 

Hail  gracious  Queen! 

Honor  the  newly  crowned, 
Raife  high  the  feftive  sound, 

Hail  gracious  Queen  ! 
Here  on  this  feftive  night. 
Gathered  to  grace  our  rite. 
Subjects  we  all  unite. 

Hail  gracious  Queen  ! 

Earth  knows  no  Queen  like  ours. 
Strew  then  her  path  with  flowers, 
Hail  gracious  Queen ! 


88 

Here  on  our  bended  knee, 
Homage  we  pay  to  thee, 
Oueen  of  the  Century, 
Hail  gracious  (^ueen  ! 

After  which,  to  supper,  and  thereafter 
a  measure,  with  much  gay  converfe  of  the 
well-pleafed  guests,  and  so  an  end  of 

THE    CENTURY'S 

Winter  Festival, 
Jan.  6,  1858. 


89 


[The  following  graphic  flcetch  of  the  Century  Twelfth-Night  Feftival, 
January  1858,  appeared  in  the  Crayon,  a  monthly  Journal  of  New  York, 
zealou/ly  and  ably  directed  to  the  service  of  tafte  and  art.  As  it  contains 
some  particulars  of  intereft  relating  to  the  architeftural  charafter  and  artiftic 
decorations  of  the  apartments  in  which  the  feftival  was  held,  and  some  inci- 
dents of  the  feftival  itfelf  not  contained  in  the  preceding  solemn  and  official 
documents,  it  has  been  thought  proper  to  add  it  in  this  place.] 


2:l)c  ^entur})  JesttuaL 


The  Century  Club,  on  the  6th  of  January  laft,  on  the  occafion  of  the 
inauguration  of  its  new  building,  held  a  Twelfth-Night  Feftival,  which  ftands 
forth  prominently  among  the  pleafant  social  entertainments  of  the  winter. 
The  whole  building,  like  the  baronial  hall  of  the  olden  time,  was  devoted  to 
the  feftivities.  Before  we  mention  the  order  of  entertainment,  we  must  glance 
at  the  elegant  reception-room  on  the  second  ftory,  a  magnificent  apartment 
that  well  illuftrates  architefturally  and  decoratively,  the  artiftic  spirit  which 
animates  the  club.  This  room  is  28  by  48  feet  in  area,  and  is  18  feet  high, 
lighted  by  three  windows  on  one  fide,  and  a  fine  Iky-Iight.  Over  the  entrance 
door  is  an  orcheftra-balcony,  which  on  this  occafion  was  well  and  efFedively 
filled.     At  either  end  are  richly  carved  mantels  of  continuous  defign,  extend- 


90 

ing  to  the  ceiling,  forming  a  rich  frame  for  the  mirrors.     The  ceiling  is  divided 
into  panels,  the  central  compartment  being  the  (ky-light ;    the  decorations 
of  which  are  painted  in  dillemper,  representing  allegorically  Painting,  Sculp- 
ture, Mufic,  and  Architecture ;  and  under  the  cornice  arc  a  scries  of  panels, 
arranged  to  form  a  frieze,  into  which  it  is  intended  to  infcrt  the  portraits  of 
diftinguiflicd  members  of  the  club.     The  walls  are  hung  with  crimfon  hang- 
ings, and  the  windows  with  rich  deep  blue  curtains ;  the  furniture,  of  black 
wahiut,  being  covered  with  a  material  of  the  same  color  as  the  curuins ;  the 
chandeliers  and  brackets  are  of  elegant  and  appropriate  defign,  as  is  likewife  the 
carpet,  the  whole  forming  an  apartment  that  may  be  referred  to  as  a  model 
of  decorative  tafte  and  refinement.     On  this  Twelfth-Night  fcftival  the  walls 
were  adorned  with  several  large  and  fine  piftures,  including  "  Hcfter  and  Little 
Pearl,"   by    Leutzc ;    "The  Dorcas    Society,"   by    Lang;    "  Hagar    and 
Ishmael,"  by  Gray  ;  "  A  View    in  South    America,"  by    Church  ;    "  Lake 
Nemi,"  by    GifFord  ;    "  Primeval  Forcft,"  by  Durand  ;   "  Bafhbifh  Fall  " 
and  "  View  near  Newport,"  by  Kenfctt ;  "  Portrait,"  by  Baker;  a  "  Winter 
Scene,"  by  Gignoux.     Added  to  this  was  a  throne  erefted  under  the  recess 
of  the  great  window,  upon  which  were  placed  two  chairs  elaborately  carved 
in  the   richeft  style  of  Belgian  workmanfhip.     Two   pretty  boudoirs,  one 
at  either  end,  opening  into  the  large  reception-room,  with  a   spacious  ante- 
chamber, added  to  the  variety  and  accommodation  of  the  (late  apartments. 
The    room    being  brilliantly    illuminated,  and  prepared  for  the  reception 
of  guefts,  the  honored  Prefidcnt  of  the  Century  flood  at  the  spacious  entrance 
to  receive  them  as  they  arrived.     At  half-pafl  ten  o'clock,  the  company  had 
afTembled,  when  the  Herald,  richly  clothed  in  an  official  coflume,  approached 
the  Prefidcnt  and  handed  him  a  baton  of  office,  and  then  preceded  him  to 
the  foot  of  the  throne,  making  way  among  the  crowd  as   he  pafTed.     The 
Prefidcnt  announced  that  an  election  for  King  and  Queen  of  Twelfth-Night 
would    take    place,  according    to  time-honored  ufage,  and  he  direded  the 
Herald  to  make  proclamation  to  that  effeft,  which  duty  that  officer  per- 
formed with  a  fiourifh  of  his  trumpet,  calling  upon  the  afTcmbly  to  attend  to 


91 

this  auguft  ceremony.  The  eleftion  was  held  in  keeping  with  ancient  form, 
the  symbols  of  the  royal  office  being  depofited  in  a  Twelfth-Night  cake, 
which  was  cut  up  and  handed  around  on-maffive  filver  salvers.  During  this 
ceremony  and  the  proceedings  of  eleftion,  the  whole  court  advanced  in  pro- 
ceffion,  an  impofmg  retinue  of  charafteriftic  perfonages,  with  pages  in  white 
satin,  bearing  the  two  crowns  on  splendid  red  cuftiions,  whilft  choriilers  in 
antique  garbs,  chanted  alternately,  the  Boar's-Head  hymn  to  an  ancient  tune, 
supported  in  chorus  by  numerous  voices,  and  with  a  moft  effeftive  orcheftra. 
The  Herald  then  advanced  forward,  and  prefented  to  the  Prefident  a  large 
ftatc  document,  which,  on  being  unrolled,  was  announced  to  be  the  certificate 
of  cleftion  of  the  King  and  Queen  of  Twelfth-Night :  this  was  read  by  the 
Prefident,  after  which  he  direfted  it  to  be  proclaimed  by  the  Herald,  who 
announced  the  elcdlion  of  Egbert  the  31st,  and  Amelia  the  ist.  The  pro- 
clamation was  made  with  great  formality  in  the  midft  of  the  cheers  and  re- 
joicings of  the  loyal  and  delighted  aflembly.  The  King  and  Queen  eleft 
advanced,  and  were  received  by  the  Prefident  rifing ;  they  were  then  robed 
by  the  lords  and  ladies  in  waiting,  and  crowned  by  the  Prefident's  own 
hands,  upon  which  the  Prefident  kifled  her  Majefty's  hand,  and  retired 
from  the  throne.  His  Majefty  invested  the  Queen  with  the  order  of  the 
Century,  after  which  the  orcheftra  ftruck  up  the  air  of  God  Save  the 
Queen,  the  chorifters  finging  appropriate  and  original  words,  and  the  entire 
aflembly  accompanying  them.  His  Majefty  addrefled  his  liege  subjeds  in 
a  very  dignified  manner,  and  then  called  upon  the  officers  of  the  crown. 
The  Lord  Chancellor,  in  his  robes  of  ftate,  ftepped  forward,  and  addrefled 
the  throne,  setting  forth  the  financial  ftate  of  the  realm,  and  recommending 
many  promotions  and  rewards  to  diftinguiftied  merit,  literary,  artiftic,  and 
profeffional. 

After  this  speech,  which  was  moft  gracioufly  received,  the  King  called 
upon  his  poets  laureates,  whereupon  the  two  jefters,  in  their  motley  garb, 
arofe,  and  announced,  in  alternate  rhymes,  that  the  various  poets  were  all 
abfenc  or  abroad  ;  Bryant  in  Spain,  Halleck  on  the  Sound,  Bayard  Taylor  in 


92 

Germany,  teaching  his  Saxon  wife  Enghlli,  and  Allan  Butler  with  "Nothing 
to  Wear."  They  then  encouraged  each  other  to  undertake  to  supply  all  defi- 
ciencies. They  accordingly  proceeded  in  a  spirited,  brilliant,  and  witty  vcr- 
fified  dialogue,  to  allude  rapidly  to  all  the  prominent  follies  of  the  day,  end- 
ing with  a  ludicrous  parody  of  the  witches'  incantation-scenc,  in  Macbeth, 
throwing  in  corporation  contrafts,  American  plays  from  France,  politicians' 
pledges,  railroad  bubbles,  and  other  salient  points  of  political  and  social  intercft. 
After  this  their  Majellies  invited  their  loyal  subjeds  prcfcnt  to  a  banquet, 
themfelves  leading  the  way  in  proceflion  to  the  room  below,  decorated  in 
true  baronial  ftyle,  the  hall  hung  with  countlefs  banners,  and  the  infignia  of 
the  chafe,  such  as  elk  and  flag-horns  and  fkins  of  buffaloes,  bears,  leopards, 
panthers,  etc.,  with  magnificent  suits  of  genuine  antique  armor,  and  a  splcn 
did  colleaion  of  ancient  swords,  lances,  and  maces,  the  whole  gay  with  ever- 
greens and  frefh  flowers.  All  this  was  harmonized  by  a  soft,  rofy  light  as 
it  came  into  the  room,  tempered  by  numerous  tranfparencies.  The  ban- 
quet was  served  at  the  end  of  the  apartment,  the  King  and  Queen  fitting 
in  antique  chairs,  and  the  reft  of  the  company  generally  ftanding,  except 
such  ladies  as  chofe  to  find  accommodation  in  large  adjoining  apartments. 
The  luxurious  table  was  arranged  in  truly  regal  ftyle,  abundantly  supplied, 
on  a  complete  and  very  elegant  filver  service.  The  interfperfion  of 
gilding  and  superb  flowers,  the  mingling  of  colors  on  the  royal  board 
spread  out  beneath  the  brilliant  painting,  reprefenting  a  Twelfth-Night  pro- 
ceffion  in  the  Middle  Ages,  together  with  the  banners,  devices,  mottoes, 
and  tranfparencies,  difplayed  upon  the  walls  of  the  room,  all  presented  a 
ftriking  and  harmonious  efFcft,  and  a  highly  impofmg  scene.  The  regal 
hall  of  reception  and  coronation,  had  now  become  a  ball-room,  and 
the  feftivities  there,  as  well  as  in  the  banqueting  rooms  below,  were 
lengthened  into  a  late  hour  of  the  night,  some  of  the  graver  perfonages  re- 
tiring between  twelve  and  one.  Beauty,  over  which  the  fairy  Queen  prefided, 
did,  indeed,  grace  the  Century  that  night,  and  not  only  beauty,  but  men 
and  women  distinguifhed  in  Art,  Literature,  and  Mufic,  including  a  ftrong 


9 


'■> 


reprefentation  of  the  Bench  and  the  Bar,  for  all  thefe  avocations  were  fully 
and  powerfully  reprefented. 

Having  thus  glanced  at  the  prominent  points  of  this  charming  fellival, 
it  will  not  be  deemed  inappropriate  to  mention  that  for  the  artiftic  elements 
of  its  attraftivenefs,  the  Century  and  its  guefts  were  indebted  chiefly  to  Mr. 
Louis  Lang,  who  defigned  and  painted  the  "  ProcefTion  in  the  Middle  Ages," 
and  other  tranfparencies,  and  whofe  tafte  and  knowledge  directed  the  ar- 
rangement of  the  entire  system  of  decoration.  To  Mr.  Joseph  C.  Wells  is 
alfo  due  much  of  the  pleafure  of  the  evening.  The  beautiful  reception-room 
was  defigned  and  completed  under  his  superintendence,  and  it  elicited  the 
moft  unquahfied  admiration. 


\ 


%. 


^^C  3  0/949 
JAN  5     19513 

MAR  1 4  IdSO 

DEC  7     1*354 


This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stumped  below 

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FEB  0  21999 


DUE  3  WEEKS  FROM 
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.'  ■■     if     .'"■■^ 


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